


Awakened

by WildRiverInTheSky



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:01:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 61
Words: 123,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildRiverInTheSky/pseuds/WildRiverInTheSky
Summary: First season, completely reimagined. They are all high school Seniors at the same school. Darien begins dreaming about the Princess and he remember not only his dreams, but also Serena. This will causes him to get his all of memories back from his life as Endymion and the love he shared with Serenity. The problem is that only he remembers any of the past.
Relationships: Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 64





	1. Begin Again

Chapter 1 - Begin Again

Darien stood there in the gym out of breath and sweaty taking deep panting breaths, he wiped his forehead with a towel and then tossed it over to join the other used ones. He then removed his sweat soaked shirt and exchanged it for a clean one from his bag. It got rid of a little bit of the sweat that way. He was exhausted and ready to head home and take a shower and start working on his homework.

He went to grab his things and said, “Guys, I’m going to head out now that practice is over. I need to get working on that paper we have for civic’s class.”

“You’re too busy to go and grab a coffee at the Arcade? Come on! Hang out with us a bit.” his friend Jadeite chastised.

Darien shook his head, “I just don’t want to go there smelling like I currently do after an intense Kendo practice. I thought you were all about the ladies and yet you want to go there smelling like that?” He made a disgusted face and shook his head.

Kunzite laughed and said, “It can’t hurt his chances. It isn’t like he is some kind of lady killer or anything. And I don’t know how much it is ‘the ladies’ he is trying to impress, more like he’s trying to impress Raye.”

“Ha ha,” Jadeite said and grabbed his things. “Fine, I’ll go home and shower and then head to the Arcade. Better Darien, mister Don Juan?”

Nephrite rolled his eyes, “You have to be kidding me. Darien is terrible with the ladies. They are attracted to him sure, but then every time they actually talk to him he makes them cry.”

“What, would you rather I went out with every girl that asks me out?” Darien scoffed.

Zoisite said, “You haven’t gone out with a single one of them! Not that you have had great options or should go out with them.”

Darien looked startled, “That is different from what you were saying a week ago. What changed?”

“Well,” Zoisite started “I was talking to someone about crushes in general and she was saying how so many of them that she witnesses bother her. She said she sees people getting asked out all of the time without the other person really knowing anything about the other person. She lamented that it would be sad to be asked out without someone really knowing who you were. How it would be better to be asked out by someone who really knew you and still liked you. I thought she had a good point and it changed my mind.”

Nephrite chuckled, “No need to ask who changed your mind so easily. I am just surprised you got the balls to talk to Amy.”

Zoisite rolled his eyes and said, “It wasn’t Amy, it was Serena, thank you very much. She was right too.”

Nephrite shrugged and said, “So, I stand corrected. You talked to someone who was Amy-adjacent, you don’t have any balls after all.”

“Why don’t you just shut up or I will kick your ass.” Zoisite said to him.

Kunzite said, “We all already know you have a huge crush on Amy and that you don’t have any balls. No need to threaten him for not keeping it a secret.”

“Name one of us other than Darien that isn’t crazy about a woman and lacks the courage to ask her out.” Jadeite said and headed for the door. “I am going to go shower and sit at the Arcade and stare at Raye. Bye!” He waived and walked out the door.

Nephrite chuckled, “I guess he isn’t afraid to admit it. Now what about the rest of us? Well, all of us except Darien.”

Darien stood there holding his bag relieved that his feelings for Serena had gone completely unnoticed even by his friends. He didn’t like being laughed at or being made the butt of a joke. He worked hard to make sure he was above scorn or mockery, even the playful kind his friends participated in. He kept himself in control and it served him well. He even participated in Kendo club primarily because it helped him develop a stronger mental discipline.

Kunzite shrugged and said, “I don’t know about the rest of us, but we all really should head out. I am willing to clean up and meet at the Arcade too. If anyone wants to come I will see you there.”

They all exited the gym finished with Kendo practice and with their school day.

As soon as Darien exited the school building he noticed a girl from one of his classes standing and waiting there and she was fidgeting. Dang. He knew that look. Now he just had to try and remember her name. He noticed they were more likely to cry if he fumbled over that. He lengthened his stride hoping he could somehow get lucky and walk right past her, he was only eighty present sure he had come up with the right name. It was Marla, right? Wait! Or was it Martha? Shoot he was in trouble.

“Darien!” What’s-her-name shouted out to get his attention. “Do you have a minute?”

He internally groaned and nodded his head. Crap! He wasn’t going to get out of this. “Sure, did you have a question about something from math class?” He mentaly praised himself. He thought it was clever talking about their shared class and being able to skip right over her name. 

“Um… Actually, I understood everything from class today.” She looked proud of herself. “I was hoping that you were free this weekend, or whenever. I would like it if we went on a date.” She looked up at him hopefully.

Shoot she had that look on her face. The hopeful one that usually leads to tears when he tells them no. “Sorry, I am not interested in going out with you.” He realized a long time ago that he had to be blunt. Too many girls had thought that a kind refusal meant try again later.

“Why?!” She demanded as she held back tears.

“Tell me anything that you know about me that every other girl in school doesn’t. Tell me honestly what you are interested in about me that doesn’t center around my grades or my money.” He said and waited for her response.

She spun around and ran away crying.

“That’s what I thought.” Darien said to no one in particular and then he walked home with his book bag, his bag of Kendo gear and his shinai (wooden Kendo sword). He reflected on the fact that Serena was right, it is awful to be asked out by someone who doesn’t really know you.

Once he arrived in his apartment he stripped and started a load of laundry and turned on the shower. He cleaned up and then changed and got ready to work on his civic’s paper.

He sat down to work, his paper due in two weeks. He never put anything off and was always done in plenty of time. He was top of his class and he had already been accepted into the top pre med program. He had his whole future planned out. He would go pre med for undergrad, then med school and then onto his residency. He would then work to be the top doctor in Japan in his chosen field of medicine. He knew that it was all within his reach, what he didn’t understand was why it felt like something was missing.

He opened his laptop, pulled up a blank document and began work on his paper. He already knew he would get an A. He did every time. Concentrating on his paper helped him ignore the empty feeling he had brewing inside of him.

As he was working his text message alert went off. He looked and saw it was from Jadeite and it read: Don Juan, heard you made another one cry. Misty is here telling everyone that you turned her down. He shook his head and thought ‘so her name is Misty.’ 

He texted back: You would think they would stop asking. 

Jadeite’s reply came quickly: Maybe there is a club we don’t know about and being turned down by you is the requirement for entry.

Darien replied: Well, as entertaining as that thought is I am going to get back to my work.

Jadeite wrote: Have fun mr sarcastic.

Darien sighed and set his phone down. He hated making girls cry, but he really just didn’t know how else to handle them. He really was bad with women he lamented. 

He went back to working on his paper and double checking his references. He had a personal goal of getting the first draft done by tomorrow before he went to bed. He had already compiled all of his research. He worked on it for two more hours and then switched to his other home work. Math could be done later since it didn’t take him as much mental focus as writing did.

By the time he went to bed all of his homework was complete and he had two thirds of his first draft finished. He easily fell asleep that night and went straight into a dream.

He stood in the center of a beautiful garden filled with white flowers that had delicate pale green leaves. It was absolutely stunning. The garden had obviously been done by a team of professionals and at the center near him was a beautiful fountain with crystal clear water. In the pool around the fountain it had white fish with fancy fins that fanned out as they swam through the water. He looked up at the night sky and instead of the moon he saw the Earth looming large above him. It was breathtaking. 

He walked through the rocky paths and it made a crunching noise as he went along. He hadn’t ever been in a place that made him feel more at peace than he did in this garden. He reached out and touched a flower and felt the silky petals underneath his finger tips. It’s many petals were a glossy white and they were frilly at the tip of each. When he removed his hand the petals closed up into a tight bud and then he watched for several minutes as they slowly unfereled back to how they had been before he had touched them. He reached down and plucked one and continued down the path.

He wanted to stay in this dream, he realized it must be what this was of course. Nowhere in his waking world did he ever feel like this, now if he could only remain here. He just felt so at peace and so comforted that he wanted to preserve this feeling as long as possible. He wandered around and paid attention to the unique flowers and the sounds all around him.

He wandered through each perfectly manicured garden all the while hearing the crunching rock underfoot from the paths he was walking. Every flower bed contained a unique array of types of white flowers. He was astounded that there could be so many variations in white flowers. He watched some flowers that were in constant motion, slowly opening up fully and then closing down to a tiny bud and then opening again repeating the process over again. It was beautiful as the petals flapped gently in the soft breeze.

He then wandered into a section of the garden that had beautiful statues made of white marble, or white stone that appeared like marble to his untrained eye. They were intricately carved in beautiful organic shapes that were pleasing to the eye, but were not of anything he had ever seen before. Around each statue were beautiful pools that contained fish and water flowers.

He turned around in a full circle to take everything in and was just astounded at the beauty around him. He stood still and listened carefully and didn’t hear a single sound other than the rustling sound from the gentle breeze floating through the garden. 

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He couldn’t imagine a better place to be right now.

The next morning when he woke up the feeling of peace and calm had followed him into the waking world. Light filtered in though his curtains and he saw dust motes dancing above him. He rolled onto his side and much to his surprise he saw that the flower he had picked had followed him into the waking world too. It lay there on the bed next to him and it was just as beautiful as it had been when he picked it. “So it wasn’t a dream after all.” He idly commented to himself.

He picked up the flower and was careful to not touch the petals, then walked with it into his kitchen. Darien then grabbed a drinking glass, filled it with water and placed the flower in it, taking it all back into his bedroom and placing it on his nightstand. He found he was actually excited to be presented with something that he couldn’t solve right away. It was a novelty to him and he hoped to get more clues into what had happened last night. Wherever he was he hoped he could go back there again tonight.


	2. The Other Side Of The Coin

Chapter 2 - The Other Side Of The Coin

Serena sat sipping her strawberry milkshake at the Arcade and staring daggers at Cleo as she sat with her friends on the other side of the room. She was definitely angry at her and she reflected that Cleo was one of only two people she could think of that she really didn’t like. She heard Cleo’s group all giggling and she clenched her fist under the table.

“Earth to Serena! Hey! Are you with us?” Mina said, getting her attention.

Serena looked apologetic, “Sorry, I just really can’t stand her and I don’t know what to do about it right now.” She sighed and played with her straw in her milkshake. “I don’t know what to do about the rumor she started about Molly. It makes me so angry.”

Lita gave a short snorting laugh, “Oh, I have some ideas.” She cracked her knuckles and said, “I can make that face of hers a lot less pretty.”

Mina shook her head, “Let's call that plan B.”

“Yes!” Lita shouted.

“I said plan B.” Mina countered.

Lita nodded, “I know! You are counting it as a plan, it has a chance.”

Serena laughed and Lita gave a small smile to Mina. Mission accomplished, Serena was getting back to her normal happy self.

Mina then said, “How about we come up with a really good plan A. How about we confront her?”

Molly walked into the Arcade and Cleo’s group started howling with laughter and Serena decided she had enough of them. Molly spun to leave and Serena ran over and grabbed her arm and pulled her to the booth to join them all. She made sure Molly sat down and motioned to Mina to take charge of her.

Serena then spun around and marched right over to Cleo and her group. She knew everyone saw her as kind, sweet and a bit of a pushover, but that only applied to how she interacted personally with people. She was fierce when it came to the defense of her friends.

When she got to her booth everyone looked up at Serena and she said, “Cleo, I heard the rumor you started about Molly. You really aren’t that bright are you? I would think it would be fairly obvious she isn’t pregnant especially in a few months when she should be showing. So here is what you are going to do. You and your witchy little friend Misty are going to apologize or your parents will find out.”

Cleo laughed at her, “Oh really, what are they going to find out?”

Serena pulled out her phone and held up a photo of Cleo throwing up after getting drunk at the party last friday night. She shook it at Cleo and said, “You apologize and make sure everyone knows it isn’t true or this goes to your mother. My mom really enjoys being in the book club with her.”

Cleo’s eyes went wide and she nodded, “Fine, I will apologize.”

“And so will Misty and you make sure to fix the rumor. You have to do all of it, starting today.” Serena slid her phone back in her pocket and turned and walked away.

Cleo followed her back to the table and she gave Molly the worst apology Serena had heard in awhile. Molly got the point though, Serena was on her side and would make sure the rumors stopped.

Cleo walked away and Serena said, “She will retract the rumor and expect another fake apology from the Wicked Witch of the West.”

“Who’s the East?” Amy asked.

Serena said, “Amy you are too smart to ask that. Cleo is the East, she has the better shoes. Oh, and Lita thanks for sending me that picture of Cleo Friday night, I think I just technically black mailed her.”

Mina raised her milkshake and said, “And here’s to Serena, great friend and black mailer.” They all laughed and took a sip of their shakes.

Serena was laughing and stopped as she saw Raye’s face transform from laughing along with them to serious and blushing. Serena followed her gaze and she saw that Jadeite had just walked in and sat at the counter. She tapped Raye’s hand under the table to get her attention and Raye turned to look at her quickly and then nodded. She knew Raye wouldn’t like being caught by anyone staring at him and that she would want to preserve her privacy for now.

Shortly after that Misty came storming into the Arcade making a large amount of noise and crying. She apparently didn’t feel the need to keep anything private Serena noticed.

“He told me he doesn’t want to go out with me!” Misty said as she walked over to her group of friends.

“Darien wouldn’t go out with you? Is he insane? You are hot and smart.” Cleo encouraged her friend.

Misty just cried harder and flopped in the booth.

“I guess I am not getting that apology today.” Molly commented lightly.

Mina rolled her eyes at Misty’s conduct, “Really, you would think you would want to keep a rejection quiet. Who announces it to everyone that they were turned down?!”

“I still like plan B by the way.” Lita added.

Molly looked curious, “ What’s plan B?”

Raye laughed and said, “Punching them in the face. Lita was originally going for it to be plan A, but when it made it to plan B she was satisfied. It has at least made the list.”

Molly’s eyes misted up and she said, “It is sick of me to be so touched that Serena black mailed her and Lita wants to punch her? I feel like that says something about me.”

Lita got a huge smile on her face and said, “Yea it does. It says that you are awesome!”

Serena noticed that all of their laughter drew the attention of Jadeite and his gaze landed on Raye. She found that very interesting and she decided to watch him more carefully when Raye was around. She looked across the table and saw that Mina had noticed it too. Mina gave her a short nod and she knew they would both be keeping an eye on this new development.

They all heard the Arcade doors open and Serena almost laughed out loud when Kunzite walked through them and Mina blushed. She gave Mina a significant look and Mina just shrugged her shoulders. 

“Um, I just wanted to say I am sorry Molly. We will fix the rumor.” Misty didn’t even wait for a response and she marched off and out of the Arcade doors.

“Well, that just happened.” Raye said. “What was that?”

Lita started laughing and said, “Oh, I was watching the whole thing! After Misty calmed down she got in an argument with Cleo and grew upset. Then she stomped over here and apologized. She couldn’t have been happy that her drama was cut short to save Cleo from getting in trouble. I think she just likes the spotlight on her no matter the reason.”

“It was a better apology than I expected to get actually.” Molly said and shrugged. “I am just glad they are going to fix the rumor.”

Amy spoke up and said, “Actually if they are fighting they won’t need to. They usually suck up all of the attention and rumor mongering when they are after each other. Last time they fought everyone found out that Misty had gotten a boob job and Cleo had work done on her nose.”

“Well, we know Darien isn’t a boob man then if he even turns down big ones.” Mina said laughing.

Serena rolled her eyes, “Darien turns down every single girl that asks him out. I think what he really wants right now is to focus on his studies. No way he goes out with anyone before the end of the year.”

Mina nodded, “I say through the end of Freshman year at college. That guy is super focused on his goals.”

Amy said, “There isn’t anything wrong with being really focused. He is after all on a difficult career path.”

“Which just goes to show how brilliant Amy is.” Serena announced dramatically and with a flourish of her hands. “You did after all get into the same pre med program he did and you have time to hang out with your friends.”

“Yes, but he is top of the class and I would have gotten that spot if I spent less time hanging out with you all.” Amy replied.

Mina said, “You are second in the class and it didn’t stop you from getting into the exact university you wanted to get into. Hanging out with us isn’t slowing you down in the slightest.”

“Um, am I the only one who noticed that humble, quiet Amy just called Darien out and said she was smarter than him? That was fabulous!” Molly stated and smiled at Amy.

Amy just blushed in response, everyone noticed she didn’t deny it.

Serena looked at the time and said, “Girls, I hate this but I have to head home. See you all tomorrow.”

They all said goodbye to her and she paid for her food and then left the Arcade. A block away Mina was yelling for her. Serena stopped and waited for Mina to catch up with her and they walked together towards her house.

“So we both noticed Raye and Jadeite, right?” Mina asked.

“Yes, and I noticed you blushing when Kunzite came in too.”

“Anyway.” Mina brought the subject back to Raye, “So, Raye and Jadeite, what are we going to do? We have to get him to ask her out.”

“Do you really think we need to step in at all there? I mean they are both interested in each other.”

“You heard the rumor that Raye tried to set the last guy who asked her out on fire, right?”

Serena shrugged, “He wouldn’t take no for an answer and there was a candle on the table.”

“Wait! She really did try to set him on fire?! Oh my gosh, no way will Jadeite ask her out now.”

“I think he is more of a risk taker than you think. Let’s give it some time before we get involved and see what he does. He deserves to have the chance to make his move without us interfering.”

Mina shrugged, “I didn’t think of it so much as interfering, but rather helping.”

“Agree to disagree.” Serena quipped and gave her a wry smile.

“Fine, I will stay out of it. For now.” Mina stopped and spun around and faced the opposite direction. “Time to head home. Bye!”

“Bye!”

Serena made it home a short while later and greeted her mother as she entered and explained that no she hadn’t gotten any tests back today and headed up the stairs.

She knocked on her brother’s door and heard him say to come in. “I just wanted to let you know I am home. Mom seems like she is in a good mood.”

“She is today so that is a plus. You didn’t ruin it by getting a test back did you?” Sammy eyed her suspiciously and then cracked a smile.

“No tests back today, thank goodness!” Serena laughed. “Please let me know if you need anything, I am just across the hall.”

“She hasn’t been bothering me lately, I consistently get good grades and I have learned how not to step out of line. She mostly yells at you.”

“Good, I can take it.” She shrugged, “It hasn’t bothered me in years.” She took a step back and said, “Well I am going to start my homework. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck with your homework, that’s for sure!”

She chuckled and headed across the hall and went into her room closing the door behind her and setting her book bag on the floor next to her desk. She then sat in her chair and rested her head on the desk. She wished her mother was even a little happy to have her around. She sat up straight and decided she would just move on since she couldn’t change her mother’s mind. Even perfect Sammy wasn’t enough in her mother’s eyes.

She pulled out her homework and made her way slowly though it all. She reflected that she had come a long way since she was in middle school. Sure her grades still weren’t very good, but she wasn’t failing all of her tests anymore and she actually did her homework. As far as being late to school went, well she still had her days when no matter how fast she ran she couldn’t make it in time.

She went to bed that night and fell asleep quickly; she didn’t remember her dreams at all that night.


	3. To Protect You

Chapter 3 - To Protect You

Darien walked into school and saw Serena talking to Kunzite and Zoisite, he was curious why both guys looked upset. He walked over to join them and heard something he never thought he would hear. Serena sounded very agitated, she was always happy, wasn’t she?

Zoisite nodded his head at Darien in acknowledgement and said, “Sounds like you dodged a bullet yesterday with Misty. It was her and Cleo that started the rumor about Molly.”

“What rumor?” Darien asked puzzled. He hadn’t heard any rumor about Molly at all, to be fair he did usually miss those.

Serena smiled at him and he didn’t know what he said to make her smile like that, but he loved that it was directed at him. That feeling of peace that he had last night in his sleep washed over him again. He knew he would constantly be chasing that feeling.

Kunzite patted him on the back and said, “That is one of the things I like about you, you never listen to gossip. Misty and Cleo started a rumor that Molly was pregnant. Serena managed to get them to apologize and tell everyone that it wasn’t true.”

Darien started laughing and all three looked at him in puzzlement. He said, “It’s ridiculous that anyone would start a rumor about her. Could they pick someone one who is better protected? Well really, I wouldn’t want to mess with anyone from your group.” he said looking at Serena. And there was that feeling again, she was smiling at him.

Nephrite said, “Serena was just about to tell us how she got them to apologize and retract the rumor.”

Serena blushed and shook her head, “That isn’t fair, I didn’t say I would tell you. It’s embarrassing.”

Darien looked her in the eye and said, “Oh come on, I am sure we will just be impressed. We know you would do anything to defend your friends.” He saw her blush again and it made his stomach flip.

“Well,” she started hesitantly, “I kind of blackmailed her. Lita had texted me a photo of her throwing up after Friday’s party and she was obviously drunk. Our mothers are in a book club together. I showed it to her and said that I would send it to her mother if she and Misty didn’t apologize and fix the rumor.” She scuffed her foot against the floor and she looked down nervously.

Darien said, “And that just proves I am right. I wouldn’t mess with any of you. Serves them both right!” he smiled at Serena.

Nephrite asked, “And what was Lita’s plan, you can’t tell me that was her first idea.”

Serena chuckled and said, “You’re right of course. We made her plan into plan B. It was pretty straightforward though, she wanted to punch them in the face.”

“Blackmail and the threat of physical violence, Darien is right. It was dumb for them to mess with anyone from your group.” Kunzite said.

Andrew walked over and bumped shoulders with Serena and said, “How ya doin’ sis? I heard you got everything set straight for Molly. Good job on the blackmail by the way.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes, “Great, it can’t be good that it is making it around school that I blackmailed her.”

Andrew shrugged, “I overheard from two different people already that messing with you would be stupid. I think it will benefit you in the long run. It helps that everyone likes you and they think those two are vipers.” He looked at Darien and said, “I heard you rejected Misty. It’s going around school that you did because of the rumor she started about Molly.”

Serena laughed at that and Darien’s heart dropped, he wanted it to be true. He wanted to have rejected Misty because what she said had hurt Serena. Then Serena spoke and made his heart soar, “He has better taste than her. He didn’t even know the rumor about Molly until a couple of minutes ago. Could you picture him lowering himself to dating a girl who was only after him because of his money? As if he could actually be that shallow.” She shook her head at the very idea. “Practically though it will help Molly that everyone thinks that.” She looked at Darien and said, “Can you let the rumor go? I would appreciate it if people knew you were disgusted that she started it.”

Darien smiled down at her and said, “I am happy to have everyone believe that I turned her down over the rumor she helped start.”

Kunzite said, “Well, it’s settled. Darien gets to be the White Knight in the story and now it is time to get to class or we will all be late. Serena, you may want to head off now and surprise your teacher by being on time.”

“Ha ha.” She said dripping with sarcasm and then looked at the time and said, “Oh yikes!” She then took off running to class.

Darien was sure she was the most perfect woman that ever existed.

They all headed off to their classes, Darien and Kunzite walked together to their math class. They took their seats and Kunzite looked very seriously at Darien. He leaned towards him and said, “We know.”

Darien looked puzzled, “You know what?”

“We all know how you feel about her. We also know that jokes about her are off limits to all of us, we get you better than you realize.” Kunzite said and then grew quiet. The desks around them had started to fill up. And he leaned back in his chair.

Darien’s eyes darted around to see who could overhear him and he said, “Who is ‘we all?’”

“Andrew and the four ‘ites.” he replied. “Each one of us haven’t spoken about it other than to acknowledge that we know and that jokes are off limits. We aren’t gossips.”

Darien nodded, he had to be fair to them. They wouldn’t gossip about his feelings, he knew them better than that too. “Thanks, and thanks for telling me. I thought I was more controlled than that.”

Kunzite shook his head, “You are, we just know you too well. You need to realize you aren’t alone.”

That last statement rocked his world even more than the knowledge that they knew he had feelings for Serena. Who was he if he wasn’t alone? He had been alone his whole life. Except when he really thought of it he didn’t know how true that was. He had five friends who really knew him and made sure to respect his desires. It gave him one more thing to think about this weekend and to puzzle out. He was glad that he didn’t have school tomorrow.

He turned to face the teacher and saw Misty staring back at him and smiling. Obviously she didn’t know where his heart belonged, he would side with Serena on anything. He rolled his eyes at her and purposely ignored her. Somewhere behind him he heard whispering about him rejecting Misty because she was mean. He carefully schooled his features so he wouldn’t smile.

By the end of the day even Misty believed he had rejected her because of the rumor she had started about Molly. He marveled how quickly things could spread around the whole school.

He walked out of school and began to head home and then stopped in his tracks and turned. Serena had come skipping up to him smiling and stopped right in front of him. His heart soared at the sight of her joy and her smile focused on him.

She said, “Hi! I was hoping to catch you before you went home.” She paused to catch her breath. “I ran out to try to find you, I am glad I did. I can tell you don’t like being gossiped about.” She paused, “Well, really who does like it? Anyway, thank you for being willing to be talked about today to help Molly. It really helped and I am in your debt.”

Darien smiled at her and said, “You owe me nothing. I was doing the right thing, that’s it’s own reward right?”

He noticed that he had apparently picked the right answer by the look on Serena’s face. She said, “It matters. You did the right thing and it really did make things better. You really are a great guy.” She smiled at him and took two steps back and waved at him and right before she turned to go she said, “Not that it surprises me.”

He watched her walk away and he marveled over the fact that she thought such great things about him. He reflected that he wasn’t sure what he did to make her have that opinion of him, but he was glad she did. It had been a very good day.

That night as he went to bed he looked at the flower on his nightstand, it still looked perfect. He reached out and touched one of the petals and watched the flower close up into a bud and then slowly start to unferal again. He was astounded that it still worked like it did last night. He had been afraid to touch it that morning and find that some of the magic had left. He didn’t know if it was magic, but he didn’t know how else to describe it.

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

This time when he arrived in the garden he looked at it with the knowledge that it could follow him into the waking world. He looked up and saw the Earth looming above him again and marveld about how that could be true. Surely there wasn’t anywhere in the galaxy that could support life and have a view of Earth. He put that aside for now and knew he would puzzle that out in the morning.

He walked and heard the crunching of the stone on the path under his feet again and the gentle breeze rustling through the garden. It really was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. He felt the breeze against his face and took a deep breath and took in the smell of the garden, it hit him that he didn’t notice the smell of the flowers last time. He closed his eyes and let the peace wash over him.

He opened his eyes and he focused on a bench that was nearby, it had a single red rose laying on it. It struck him as very odd. He knew that every single flower he had seen in the garden last night had been perfectly white. He walked over to the bench and picked up the rose and turned the stem around in his fingers. It looked exactly like the roses he had seen on Earth. He looked at the flower beds near him and confirmed that none of the flowers he had seen in this garden resembled anything he had ever seen on Earth before.

He held onto the rose and continued to walk around the garden and paused. He chastised himself for forgetting that he needed to go about this in a way that could gather more information. He looked down at himself and realized he was wearing some sort of uniform. It looked like it should be heavy, but then again nothing seemed very heavy on whatever planet he was on. Maybe gravity was different, he reflected. He walked over to one of the placid ponds and stared down at his reflection. He looked almost like a different man, he wore a dark uniform that made him look older and more domineering. 

He thought about how he must stand out in the garden, he was sure he would stand out just like the rose did. He wondered what brought them here.

He looked to his right and saw an incredibly interesting flower with long curling soft petals that swayed in the breeze. He reached down and picked one and sniffed the flower. It smelled familiar, but he had no idea why or how. He gently held it together with the rose he had found earlier and continued walking around the gardens. 

He turned a corner around a tall pale green shrub and came face to face with himself. In his shock he cried out and took a stumbling step back. Wide eyed he looked again and noticed that the other him, in the same uniform, looked older. He didn’t know how to respond.

“It is time for you to begin learning about the past.” The other him said. “She is too important to us to leave her unprotected any longer. Danger is coming.” He then pointed down at the flowers in Darien’s hand. “They belong together.”

Darien said, “Who’s too important?” He looked puzzled.

The other him chuckled and said, “You already know the answer. You know her as Serena, keep her safe. She is everything. Succeed where I failed.”

“I don’t understand.” Darien replied.

“You will.”

Darien woke up to the sunlight streaming through the windows and into his eyes. He looked at his alarm clock and saw it was already ten o’clock. He couldn’t really ever remember sleeping that late before. He then turned his head to the other side and found both flowers laying next to him. He picked them up together and placed them in the glass with the one from the other night.

He decided he was going to shower, eat breakfast, and then sit down and think about all that he had heard and seen. He knew one thing for sure; Serena was incredibly important to him.


	4. Friendship

Chapter 4 - Friendship

Miraculously Serena made it to her first class on time. She sat in class catching her breath and thought about the conversation she just came away from. She couldn't believe it had made it around school that she had blackmailed Cleo, she mentally groaned at that. Darien's response to that knowledge though had surprised her, he seemed so straightlaced and yet he didn't have an issue with it. He also gave her such a great complement. It pleased her that he didn't think she would shy away from protecting her friends.

She admitted to herself she had feelings for Darien and any complement he gave to her she treasured it deep in her heart. She just made sure no one knew of her feelings. She saw the ridiculousness in developing feelings for a guy who was determined to stay single and concentrate on his studies. She respected that about him and it just made him even more impressive to her.

Really, if she thought about it, her heart was safe with him. He wouldn't be able to break it if they never dated and if he kept turning down all of the other girls. She could nurse this feeling quietly inside of her and yet she wasn't in danger of falling so deeply she couldn't get out. She suspected he was the kind of guy she could fall for irrevocably. If she truly fell in love with him that would be it for her. That was a danger she wasn't sure she was willing to risk.

During her next class she noticed that the topic of conversation among her peers was that Darien had turned Misty down because she started a rumor. Serena smiled and didn't comment, she just let the rumor go and take on a life of its own. Even before lunch time she had heard it mentioned so much that she determined she had to go up to Darien and thank him. This must be killing him to be talked about all day. He really was sacrificing a lot to help Molly just because she asked.

She got to lunch and sat down with her bento and said, "Mina, does Kunzite have Kendo practice after school?"

"No" Mina replied, "Why?"

"Good, I wanted to thank Darien for going along with the rumor and I figured you would know." she replied.

Mina looked puzzled, "How did you know I would have Kunzite's practice schedule memorized?"

"First, you did. Second, like you really have to ask. We can all tell you are crazy about him." Serena said.

Mina grew really quiet, she really couldn't argue with anything Serena had said.

After her last class Serena rushed through the halls. Her locker was way back in the building and she wanted to get out front to wait for Darien. She saw him already walking away from school and she went skipping up to him smiling and stopped right in front of him.

Serena said, "Hi! I was hoping to catch you before you went home." She paused to catch her breath. "I ran out to try to find you, I am glad I did. I can tell you don't like being gossiped about." She paused, "Well, really who does like it? Anyway, thank you for being willing to be talked about today to help Molly. It really helped and I am in your debt." She hoped he didn't think she was being weird right now.

He smiled at her and said, "You owe me nothing. I was doing the right thing, that's it's own reward right?"

She reflected that his desire to always want to do the right thing was something she really liked about him and said, "It matters. You did the right thing and it really did make things better. You really are a great guy." She smiled at him and took two steps back and waved at him and right before she turned to go she decided to add, "Not that it surprises me."

As she walked away to go find her friends at the Arcade she smiled to herself. He really was amazing, and he had the best smile. It was a good day.

Serena arrived at the Arcade and went to join the girls and sat across from Raye who looked agitated. Serena got her attention and quietly asked what was wrong.

Raye shrugged and said, "Is it true? You and Mina both think that Jadeite likes me?"

Serena nodded, "We only want the best for you. We both noticed and we want him for you since you obviously are interested in him. Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad that you were talking about it, I am frustrated that he hasn't asked me out." Raye replied.

Serena shrugged, "Mina pointed out you can be intimidating, apparently Curt wasn't embarrassed enough to keep from telling people you almost set him on fire."

Raye rolled his eyes, "He deserved that. He tried to grope me and it was me almost igniting his sleeve that stopped him."

"Please don't get me wrong, I think he deserved it. You were right to stop him. No means no and you were more than clear before you tried to turn him into a human torch." Serena said laughing.

Amy shook her head, "Everyone is right we are all scary."

"We protect ourselves and each other, what is wrong with that?" Lita asked.

Serena smiled and said, "Darien said people should know better than to mess with any of us. He said there isn't anyone better protected than us, by each other of course."

Mina snorted, "I didn't know he even noticed girls since he is so zoned in on his studies."

"He is focused and he has been really great to me." Molly defended.

Serena nodded and said, "Yup, he willingly went along with the rumor to protect Molly. You know how much he hates being talked about."

Lita's eyes got wide, "Maybe he's in love with Molly!"

Molly had unfortunately just taken a sip of her shake and it came right out her nose. She grabbed a napkin and gave Lita a dirty look. "That hurt! Don't say ridiculous things while I am drinking anything. Be serious, he respects Serena and that is the only reason he knows any one of our names. It was Serena that asked him to go along with the rumor, remember?"

Lita reflected on that and said, "I wonder why that is." She paused and thought about how that sounded and said, "Don't get me wrong. Your awesome Serena. I just didn't know he looked up from his books much to notice things."

Molly rolled her eyes at Lita and said, "His best friend from childhood is Andrew and he looks at Serena as a little sister. I have seen plenty of guys defend their best friend's little sister, it shouldn't surprise you."

Ouch. Little sister. That hurt. Serena blinked while she took a deep breath and firmly affixed a smile on her face. What hurt the most about what Molly said was that she was probably right. That's worse than being friendzoned, isn't it? She wished she hadn't gone skipping up to Darien like a little kid earlier.

She looked at the time on her phone and announced that she needed to head home and that she would meet them all at the temple later. She waived and went to say goodbye to Andrew as he stood behind the counter.

"You okay Serena?" He asked her, looking her in the eyes.

She nodded, "Really I am, what you are seeing is something fleeting and isn't worth talking about. Thank you for asking though."

"I worry about you. I think you hide your pain away and you really should let your friends know about it. It doesn't have to be me. Just tell someone, we all want to be there for you." he said.

She started to tear up, "You… Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. I will really think about what you said. I promise."

"Good, I am glad. You mean a lot to a lot of people. Just consider how you would feel if one of your friends were hiding their pain away."

She paused to think about that. "I wouldn't like it." She sighed, "Some things just shouldn't see the light of day. Sometimes it doesn't help to talk about things. Nothing will change."

Andrew shrugged at that and said, "Maybe the situation won't change, but you won't be facing it alone."

"When did you get so smart?" she asked.

"I am older than you," he said.

She rolled her eyes and said, "You are two months and three days older than me, that hardly counts."

"And yet I am the one who is so wise."

She laughed and told him goodbye and headed home. Should she share her feelings for Darien with someone? She thought about it and was embarrassed by the idea. She would be just one more girl interested in him, she thought that sounded pathetic. Ugg, why couldn't she have feelings for someone who wasn't the most eligible guy in school. The guy who has turned down each and every single girl who asked him out.

She arrived home and noticed Sammy sitting at the kitchen table with their mother hovering over him and looking down at him. Shoot she looked angry. No way was she letting Sammy take the brunt of this.

She reached in her school bag and pulled out a math test she had from two days ago, she held onto it for an emergency and this looked like it. "Hey, mom. I got my math test back today." She handed it to her and waited.

Her mother looked at it and her eyes narrowed at Serena and she said, "Sammy go up to your room to study. I have to talk to Serena down here."

Sammy looked at her with large eyes and mouthed the words "It will be okay" and then headed up stairs with his books and his things.

What happened next was twenty minutes of her mother telling her how disappointed she was in Serena and how useless she was. Serena tried to look like she was paying attention and go to her happy place in her head, but today her mother was making that hard on her. Her mom got to the part about how she had "Gotten pregnant by accident and didn't even want her and look how she turned out." Today of all days it hit Serena harder, she managed to hold it together. Her mother ordered her to her room for the night and told her there would be no supper.

Serena walked upstairs and Sammy was standing in the hall and whispered, "How many days have you been holding onto that test?"

She chuckled and said, "And here I thought I was being sneaky about that. Two days. I couldn't let her get after you with your grades. Did you get a B+ this time?"

He nodded, "You don't have to do that for me."

"You are my brother and this life gets a lot harder if I am not looking out for you. It makes everything here more worthwhile. I have something to protect and a purpose, without you I am just a mistake to my mother."

"She shouldn't have said that." Sammy said and looked sad.

She shrugged, "I really am okay. I am grounded tonight and am not allowed to come down for dinner. Don't come looking for me. I will be going out my window soon. I will be back after they are in bed."

Sammy smiled at her and said, "Have fun. And Serena, thank you for always watching out for me. You're a great sister."

They both headed to their rooms and Serena threw down her bag and locked her door. She then changed out of her school uniform and into something cute that she could also climb trees in. She then tossed her shoes and purse out of the window and climbed out onto the large tree branch and down into the yard. She then put on her cute shoes and looped her purse around her arm and took off for the temple.

As she took off she got a text from her brother that read: 'you are all set'

She knew that was code for the fact that her mother didn't see her sneak out of the house. Good.

That evening all five girls laughed and had a wonderful time together. They had all been friends since they were fourteen in middle school. Serena and Molly went as far back as kindergarten. They all knew each other well and everything Andrew said had been on repeat in Serena's head.

"Girls," she paused and looked incredibly nervous. "I have something I think I should say, but it's really embarrassing."

They all quieted and Mina said, "Serena, you have to know we would all do anything for you. You're the one who reached out and accepted each one of us when we didn't feel worthy. We won't judge you, don't worry about it being embarrassing." The other girls all nodded along with her.

Serena teared up, smiled and said, "Here's the thing." she sighed and closed her eyes and continued, "I really like Darien, a lot." She opened her eyes and held up her hand. "I know, just like almost every other girl in the school. I am not very original. I never thought I would be the one-of-many types of girls." She shook her head and said, "I know he isn't interested in me and I have absolutely no plan to confess to him. I just thought you should know."

Molly got wide eyed and put her hand over her mouth and said, "I am so sorry. I said you were Andrew's sister to him. Oh gosh, that was so mean of me."

"It's not mean of you to say that, you didn't know about my feelings. It did hurt, but only because you're most likely right." Serena admitted.

Raye said, "Well, you are hardly a one-of-many kind of girl. You're the only girl in that whole school who really knows him and talks to him. Molly wasn't wrong when she said that you are probably the only reason he knows any of our names."

Lita chuckled, "Do you know how many names of girls he gets wrong when they go to him to confess their feelings?"

"Why are you so sure he doesn't have feelings for you?" Amy asked.

"It's more that I don't see any evidence of him having feelings for me." Serena countered.

Amy shrugged, "He is brilliant and I don't think you give him enough credit. Yes, he turns down every other girl, but that doesn't mean he would turn you down. If he would date anyone it should be you. I couldn't think of anyone better."

Serena whipped a tear away and said, "Amy that is so sweet of you to say!"

"She's right," Mina said and the other girls nodded their heads emphatically.

"Just please don't let on that I have feelings for Darien, even to the guys. I would be so embarrassed if he found out and he wasn't interested." Serena pleaded.

"You don't even have to ask. We won't tell anyone, promise." Molly said for them all.

Later that night after she had made her way back up the tree and into her room she texted Andrew: Thanks for the advice big bro. I told the girls and I do feel better.


	5. Wonderland

Chapter 5 - Wonderland

After showering and eating breakfast, Darien moved his textbooks to the floor near his desk and opened up his laptop. He pulled up a blank document and got to work coming up with a list of things he knew and remembered from his time in the gardens. After wracking his brain to remember everything he could it didn't shed any more light on what was happening.

List Of Things I Noticed In The Gardens

Night One

\- Where ever I was I could see Earth

\- Every flower was white

\- Every fish was white

\- Garden had unique flower - research flowers to see if you can find any of them

\- Sound, feel, and touch seemed normal

\- Garden was manicured, obviously tended to by someone

\- Flowers showed up in the morning, meant the place was real

\- I had a feeling of peace and contentment there, incredible

Night Two

\- Same feeling as the day before

\- Found a red rose laying on a bench, looked like a rose you would find on Earth

\- Smell of flower I picked seemed familiar, still does

\- I was dressed in a dark uniform

\- Came face to face with a man that looked like me

\- He said it was time to start learning about the past

\- He wore the exact same uniform I did

\- He said Serena was important, she is everything

\- He said Serena was in danger, couldn't be left unprotected any longer

\- He said he failed her

\- He said I will understand

He sighed and opened up his search browser and spent an hour in a fruitless search for the flowers he saw. He couldn't find a single one. He placed his head on his desk and sighed. This was getting him nowhere.

What could it possibly mean when he met himself in that garden? Also, what did he mean when he said he failed her and made a point say he knew her as Serena. What other name could she have?

He sighed and saved the document under the title White Rabbit, it made him chuckle. It felt very much like he had gone down the rabbit hole in Alice In Wonderland. He then made his way over to the kitchen to have a late lunch.

As he ate he stewed on the fact that Serena was in danger and he didn't know what kind of danger she was in. Where was the threat coming from and what the hell was the point in telling him she was in danger and not telling him what to do about it? Could he be right about the danger? He was right about the fact that she was important to him. Damn it, he would do anything she asked and now he was left knowing something was coming and not being able to do anything about it.

One thing he never questioned was the accuracy of what he was told. Whatever was going on was really elaborate and it had to be for a solid purpose.

He slammed his fist down on the table. He wanted to go over to her house and check on her, but he knew he would look crazy if he did that. He could hardly tell her that he told himself she was in danger. Even he would roll his eyes at that. He put his head in his hands and leaned his elbows on the table and sighed.

His text message alert went off and he pulled out his phone. It was a message from Kunzite and it read: 'Trust me meet us at the Arcade in 15.' This is going to be hilarious.'

He replied: 'I will be there.'

He sighed and cleaned up from lunch and began to get ready to head out to the Arcade. He reflected on what Kunzite had said yesterday, that they knew about his feelings for Serena and that he wasn't alone. He didn't know what to make of that second part. The first meant that he could relax around them a bit more and not worry about giving himself away, he already had. It would make it a lot easier to be around them and not have to hide the fact that he thought she was perfect.

He made it to the Arcade and joined the guys in a booth and looked at Kunzite and said, "Okay, I am here..."

Kunzite made a shushing motion and gave a slight shake of his head and then darted his eyes to the side. Darien looked in that direction and saw Serena and the girls. He couldn't hide his smile, she was there and she was safe and happy surrounded by her friends. Good.

He looked back at the guys sitting with him and saw they all noticed his smile and that they said nothing about it. A little bit of what Kunzite had said yesterday about him not being alone sunk in right then. They really did all know him enough to not make a comment.

Jadeite placed both hands on the table and announced, "Alright I am going to do it! Wish me luck and have a glass of water handy in case she tries to set me on fire." He got up and walked over to the girls table, now they waited for the show.

Nephrite laughed and said, "I hate that he has the biggest balls of all of us." He shook his head and continued, "Well this will bring us closer to the girls if they start dating. Maybe they will even join us sometimes."

Zoisite nodded and said, "I thought I was supposed to be the only smart one here. I was thinking that too. Maybe we could all study together."

"Only, you would think of studying together first." Nephrite shook his head at him looking disgusted. "I was thinking it would be fun to spar with them."

Kunzite laughed and said, "Lita would knock you on your butt!"

Nephrite looked at him with a huge smile, "I know! It would be great, and I would love to see her in workout clothes."

Darien laughed and said, "You just want her to pin you while she is wearing a tight outfit, you aren't fooling anyone."

They all looked at Darien and Andrew said, "I think you just made a joke and gave him a hard time. Are you feeling okay?"

Darien looked at Kunzite and replied to Andrew, "I have had something pointed out to me yesterday and I am trying to make some changes, slowly."

Andrew asked, "And what was that?"

"That he's not alone and that we understand him better than he thinks." Kunzite answered for Darien who nodded. "Good, I am glad you thought about it like you promised."

Their attention was drawn over to Raye and Jadeite as he waved and yelled to them, "Later guys, don't wait for me. Now that I have a girlfriend I plan on ignoring you all from now on."

Everyone laughed and Nephrite yelled, "Good riddance!" And then the girls started laughing even harder.

Darien's eyes were then drawn to Serena. Her obvious happiness for Raye was almost a physical being in the room. He could almost feel the pleasure radiating off of her. She looked so full of joy and life and he thought she looked so lovely in that moment that his heart swelled with even more love for her.

He was drawn away from his thoughts by his text notification. Kunzite had texted him two words: 'you're welcome' and accompanying it was a picture of Serena in that very moment resplendent in her joy. He looked up at Kunzite and said, "Thanks." He then saved the picture to his phone and put it back in his pocket. Again, no one teased him, Kunzite's words from yesterday sank in just a little bit more.

Later that evening he realized he was excited to go to sleep and see if he could find out more. He placed his new photo in it's frame on his nightstand next to his flowers. He had immediately gone out after he left the Arcade and had the photo printed and bought a frame for it. He smiled at the photo and laid down to go to sleep.

He found himself near the fountain in the center of the garden and heard the spray of the water. He turned, no longer focused on the beauty around him, he was looking for the other him. He then started walking down the path in front of him.

He heard, "Looking for me?" from behind him. And he spun to see that he had come to him.

"What should I call you? It is getting confusing even in my own head." Darien asked.

"Endymion, that's my name. Well, your name in your first life."

Darien shook his head and said, "I think you will need to explain that to me Endymion."

"You are reincarnated, you are me, born thousands of years after my death. You are my second chance with Serenity, you know her as Serena. She is the love of both our lifetimes and our soulmate."

Darien looked unsure, "She will date me if I ask her out?"

Endymion smiled and said, "There isn't a possible version of her that isn't absolutely in love with you, it goes both ways too. You were born to love her."

"You said you failed her and that she is in danger. I need to understand that, what was the point of telling me she is in danger and not telling me where it is coming from?" Darien asked.

"You don't pull your punches. In short we had an epic love and when I died trying to protect her she took up my sword and fell on it and joined me in death. The sword I used in her defense and to protect her life was used by her to take her own life. It still cries out in sorrow that it was used to shed her blood." Endymion looked at Darien with deep sorrow in his eyes. Darien saw how heart broken he was and could imagine it must have been absolutely devastating.

"That is horrific. I will protect her, I just need to know what I am protecting her from." Darien insisted.

"You have time for me to explain it all. Be patient there are things you need to know first. She wasn't just my epic love back all that time ago. She was the Moon Princess, Crowned Princess and also the heir to the Silver Millennium. Her mother was Queen of the Moon and of the Solar System, every planet except Earth was in the alliance."

Darine's eyes grew big, "Wow. You sure picked a powerful woman to fall in love with."

Endymion chuckled and said, "Hey, I was Crowned Prince of Earth. It isn't like I didn't have anything to offer her." He said with a hit of humor. "We fell in love and I would have done anything for her. Being loved by her is better than you can imagine." He sighed, "You can imagine there were women who wanted to marry me for my title and the power. One of those women was named Beryl and she didn't like that I had fallen in love with Serenity one bit. She felt she deserved to be my wife and to be Queen one day. Her father had been a major supporter of my father's in his reign and he had promised his daughter he would see her as Queen one day."

Darien interrupted, "Don't get me wrong, I want to know all of this, but I want to know about the danger to Serena first."

Endymion sighed, "I will get there. When Serenity and I became engaged Beryl was furious. I later discovered she called on Matalia, an evil force, and was given dark energy. She used it to kill my father and infect the people of Earth, she led them all in a battle against the Moon. I rushed to Serenity to fight with those of the Moon, the people of Earth were no longer my people. She attempted to kill Serenity and I jumped in front of the blast of evil energy and died. That is when she took her own life." He sighed, "Her mother saw what happened and used her power, a wish, and her life to send us forward in the future to a time when we could be reborn and find each other on Earth again. The Moon kingdom had been overrun and was destroyed."

"That's awful!" Darien stated.

"Metalia heard the Queen's plea and knew her plan. She wanted the power that the death of the Queen had passed on to Serenity now. She used Beryl to attack and destroy the kingdoms of the other planets and then killed her and now has reincarnated her in this time too. Beryl is back and controlled by Metalia, she will be going after the power Serena holds. She is still the Moon Princess and heir to the Silver Millennium and carrier of untold power, even in this new lifetime."

"How am I supposed to protect her against something like that?!" Darien wondered.

Endymion pulled a single red rose out of what looked to be his breast pocket and he transformed to a man in a mask wearing a tuxedo. He took the rose and threw it at a tree and it broke a large branch off when it pierced it. "You have the same power, you will transform and protect her. The roses can pierce and also explode. You will also have great reflexes to get her out of the way of danger. When she is in danger you will feel called to her, follow that call."

Darien reached into the spot near where a breast pocket would be and pulled out a rose and transformed into the same costume that Endymion was wearing. "You have my word, I will protect her."

Endymion walked over to the garden and plucked a white flower and returned and handed it to Darien and said, "For your collection."

When Darien woke he picked up the flower and placed it in the glass on his nightstand.


	6. Discoveries

Chapter 6 - Discoveries

Serena woke up feeling refreshed and peaceful. She then stretched and climbed out of bed and texted her brother: 'Is mom home or has she gone out?'

Sammy quickly yelled up the stairs, "Mom and dad went out to the store you're safe to come down!"

She walked down the stairs and met Sammy in the TV room. "Thanks, I just wanted to know if I had to be prepared to face her. How did it go last night with me gone."

Sammy shrugged, "She was in a bad mood, but it was aimed at you so it was tolerable. Well, as tolerable as hearing those things are. I am sorry."

"I'm the one who made sure to direct her anger towards me." She laughed, "So I have a confession to make. I did get that test back when I said I did, but that wasn't my test. She didn't even notice it wasn't my handwriting. The day we got the test back I asked for the test of someone in class who got a worse grade than I did. My B- wouldn't have redirected her anger very well."

"Why didn't you tell me last night?!" he demanded.

She rolled her eyes, "You would have broken down and told mom at some point at dinner. Duh."

"I can take it, you know, I can be a man." Sammy insisted.

"I have no doubt in the world that you can handle it Sammy. I meant what I said last night. Living with her anger is better when I am fighting for someone I care about." she replied.

"What about me? What do I have to fight for?"

"You have an older sister who you know cares for you and who you comfort more than you know. In you I have all of the family I could need, you're a great brother." She went over and sat on the couch next to him. "I know for a fact most girls my age just want to strangle their brothers. So I choose to look on the bright side, we are close because of mom."

"You always find something to be happy about, don't you?"

She shrugged, "I haven't noticed. It just seems like I have so much good in my life. Why focus on the bad?"

"Because she's our mother?" he countered.

"Once I am out of high school I fully expect her to kick me out. That is what I choose to worry about, I worry about what you will do when I am not here. Don't worry about me, I already plan to move in with Mina." Serena said and looked at Sammy sadly. "You have to promise to come and visit me."

"I promise, and I will be okay. I get much better grades than you. Especially when you are faking bad ones." He gave her a small smile.

"I won't worry if you promise you will always be honest about how it is going here. I will worry more if you don't tell me when it gets bad." she said.

Sammy nodded, "I really will tell you. I know you will help me if it gets hard to deal with. You've always helped me with things since I was little."

"Good." she said and stood. "Now I am going to change out of my PJs and get dressed to go out. I want to get out of here before mom gets back. I had to get a test from Michelle and she is terrible at math, she failed it badly." she shook her head. "You should see if your friends are available and get out of the house today."

Sammy shrugged, "I don't really have a lot of friends right now. I'm kind of a nerd and that makes it hard to make friends. I'm not popular like you are."

"And you'll end up going to college and getting a great job and I will end up struggling through college without a strong career path. I think you'll end up just fine. I am sorry that you are having a hard time now. It can't be easy." she told him.

"You're right. And it isn't like I get bullied, they leave me alone. I am fine, just a little lonely sometimes. It won't last."

Serena was determined to figure out how to help him, "Your right, it won't last. Again, I am here if you need me."

She headed up the stairs to change and get ready for her day. She would make sure Sammy was taken care of, she just needed help to know what to do. She decided she would talk to Darien on Monday at school. He might have some ideas, he and her brother were both really smart and quiet at school.

She said goodbye to Sammy and headed over to the temple to see Raye. She walked up all of the steps and reflected on how good a workout that has been over the years and how now she is no longer short of breath when she gets to the top.

She saw Raye sweeping up some fallen leaves and walked over to her. "So how are you today?"

Raye sighed and swept harder, "Frustrated, I want Jadeite to ask me out and I don't know how to get him to do it."

"You could ask him you know." Serena reasoned.

Raye shook her head, "I could, but I want him to ask me. I don't want to make it easy on him to get me, I want him to work for it."

Serena smiled at Raye, "In that case let's make plans to meet up with the girls at the Arcade this afternoon. The guys will be there and it will give him an opportunity to ask you out. The way he looks at you has to mean that he is close to asking you out."

Raye was puzzled and asked, "How do you know they will show up?"

Serena winked at Raye and laughed, "Mina doesn't think I know that she and Kunzite have been texting each other. She'll let him know where she'll be and he will bring the rest of the guys along. Trust me. He has too good of a sense of humor to not want to watch Jadeite suffer over how nervous he is to ask you out."

Raye laughed and said, "Serena, if I didn't know what kind of grades you got at school I would think you were a genius."

Serena rolled her eyes, and then texted the girls about meeting up at the Arcade. She then helped Raye with her chores around the temple. She knew Raye would want them done before they met up this afternoon. That way Raye would be free to take the rest of the afternoon off and she wouldn't have to come back and finish them.

They ate lunch together and then headed over to the Arcade at the agreed upon time.

Five minutes after the girls arrived at the Arcade and sat in their booth, all of the guys, even Darien had come in and sat down. Serena gave Raye a sly look and she chuckled. She was right about Mina.

They all chatted and then the table grew really quiet when they noticed Jadeite making his way over. Mina commented "I guess he does have balls. Ouch!"

Serena knew Raye had kicked Mina under the table.

Jadeite looked at Raye and said, "You look lovely as always today Raye. I was wondering… um… How are you today?"

Raye smiled at him, "I am doing really well. Serena helped me with my chores so we could meet with the girls at the Arcade. What a nice surprise that you are here too."

Jadeite laughed and said, "Kunzite heard from Mina that you would all be here. I think he wanted us all to come as cover so that he could spend his time staring at her." He had gotten his confidence back since he could laugh at Kunzite.

Mina looked put out, "I just happened to text him about something for school and it came up."

Lita said, "Even I don't believe that."

Jadeite realized he was losing control of the conversation and jumped back in. "Raye, I was hoping that you would go out with me on a date."

She stared at him and then said, "You really want to be asking me out on just a date?" She scoffed and raised an eyebrow at him.

He smiled and shook his head and said, "Raye, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes I will be." She stood and said, "Girls I will see you later. Serena you are the best, I am so glad that you helped me to get everything done at the temple so that I don't need to head back." She hugged her and then told Jadeite they should head out to spend time together.

Jadeite drew the guys attention to him and then he waved at them and yelled, "Later guys, don't wait for me. Now that I have a girlfriend I plan on ignoring you all from now on."

Everyone laughed and Nephrite yelled, "Good riddance!" Serena and the girls then all started laughing even harder.

She was absolutely overjoyed that Raye and Jadeite were dating. Something about it really felt right to her and brought her peace. Something deep inside of her knew that they would work out and find a lasting love together.

Molly looked at Mina after they left and said, "So when is Kunzite going to ask you to be his girlfriend? Even Jadeite said that he is crazy about you."

Amy defended Jadeite, "I don't know why you act like he isn't smart."

Molly shook her head and said, "You misunderstood me. He was trying to ask out Raye and still paused to say that Kunzite likes Mina. That isn't something you do unless you are sure."

Serena sighed happily at Mina and said, "You two really would be perfect for each other. I would be so happy to see you together."

Lita laughed and said, "Serena, you're everyone's best cheerleader. I don't know who was more fun to watch when Jadeite asked Raye out, her or you."

Serena just shook her head and said, "Raye was so happy it was way too much fun watching her. I almost laughed though when she got him to change his question into actually asking her to be his girlfriend."

Amy smiled and said, "Well, it is Raye, you knew she would have to take control somehow."

"She sure is the type of person to let people know how she feels. I appreciate it, I never question where I stand with her." Molly said.

Later that evening Serena realized she was completely over what her mother had said to her the day before. She had checked on Sammy and headed off to bed. She was excited to sleep and she had no idea why.

She stood in a beautiful garden full of white flowers and she turned around and took it all in. "Why can I never remember this when I wake up?" She said to herself.

"Because, I can't interfere with you and yet I am selfish when it comes to you." She heard coming from behind her.

She turned and said, "Endymion, please tell me why you look like Darien, you know I won't remember in the morning."

He shook his head and gazed at her and said, "No, I have not changed my mind."

She sighed and said, "I keep hoping you will. Why bring me here?"

"You belong here, well you did at one time." He motioned to the garden. "I hope you enjoy your time here." He took a step back and turned to leave and she stopped him.

Serena said, "Thank you. I love that I get to come to such a beautiful place even if I can't remember it when I am awake."

"You haven't changed, you are still so sweet and amazing." He walked away and let her continue her night like she always did.

She sighed and walked along in the beautiful garden of white flowers and beautiful statues. Every night that she arrived in the garden he greeted her and then left so that she could admire the place at her own pace. She strolled down the paths and marveled at the beauty there. So much of it felt familiar.


	7. Protected

Great news! SailorMoon489 offered to be my beta and I took her up on it. She has already been a big help. I am glad to be able to have my grammar errors eliminated.

Thank you to everyone who is reading this story. It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 7 - Protected

List Of Things I Noticed In The Gardens

Night One

\- Where ever I was I could see Earth

\- Every flower was white

\- Every fish was white

\- Garden had unique flower - researched flowers, couldn't find them

\- Sound, feel, and touch seemed normal

\- Garden was manicured, obviously tended to by someone

\- Flowers showed up in the morning, meant the place was real

\- I had a feeling of peace and contentment there — Incredible

Night Two

\- Same feeling as the day before

\- Found a red rose laying on a bench, looked like a rose you would find on Earth

\- Smell of flower I picked seemed familiar, still does

\- I was dressed in a dark uniform

\- Came face to face with a man that looked like me

\- He said it was time to start learning about the past

\- He wore the exact same uniform I did

\- He said Serena was important, she is everything

\- He said Serena was in danger, couldn't be left unprotected any longer

\- He said he failed her

\- He said I will understand

Night Three

\- Other me is Endymion and Serena was Serenity

\- Serena is the Moon Princess and heir to the Silver Millenium, whatever that is

\- I am the Prince of Earth

\- We fell in love and got engaged

\- Beryl

\- She wanted to be Queen

\- Called on Metalia to give her dark energy as power

\- She killed Endymion's father

\- Led an army from Earth and destroyed the moon and other planets

\- Tried to kill Serenity, killed me instead

\- Metalia killed her and reincarnated now to get Serena's power - What is the Power?

\- Serenity killed herself after Endymion died with his sword

\- The Queen of the Moon gave up her life and used her power to have us reincarnated

\- Serena has untold power

\- I can transform into a masked man in a tuxedo

\- I have roses that can pierce

\- I have roses that can explode

\- I have very fast reflexes

\- I am to protect her when I feel her in danger

\- The garden is on the Moon? - ask for confirmation

Darien saved the file he had updated from last night's events, closed his laptop and then went into the kitchen to make breakfast. He reflected that he was glad that he now knew what kind of danger Serena was in. He just hoped he would be able to do enough when Beryl showed up.

As he ate breakfast he thought about Serena and what this new information meant for them. Endymion told him they were soulmates which meant that it was possible Serena was in love with him or at least had feelings for him already. Now he just had to decide what kind of man he was going to be.

He pulled out his cell phone and called Andrew, who answered even though he was at work.

Andrew asked, "What's wrong? You never call me at work."

Darien replied, "Nothing is wrong, I just need some help. Is Serena there?"

"No."

"If she comes in can you hold onto her bill and give it to me to pay? I don't want her paying for anything from now on." Darien explained.

Andrew didn't even question him as to why, Darien appreciated that. Andrew did ask, "What should I tell her when she asks?"

Darien paused, had a brief thought, and then said, "I don't really know. Maybe just tell her that I said I am taking care of her bills at the Arcade now. And then just leave it at that. I will be talking to her tomorrow so hopefully the confusion won't last long."

"I can do that," Andrew said "I expect she will be in this afternoon for a chocolate shake. It will be fun to see her reaction."

Darien thanked him and hung up the phone so Andrew could get back to work. Even though his family owned the Arcade he could still get in trouble if he got caught. Darien appreciated that he was taking the risk and answered his phone call. He realized it was one more thing he had missed that Kunzite was talking about. His friends all went to great lengths for him often, he realized he owed them more than he was giving them.

Darien cleaned up his breakfast and went to his office to work on his homework. He picked his books up off the floor and spent the morning working through his list of homework he wanted to get done that day.

He took a break for lunch and while he was sitting down to eat he decided that he should invite his friends over for takeout and time to hang out. He hoped Jadeite could make it and update them all on how it was going with Raye. He sent a group text: 'Takeout and hangout at my place tonight at 5. Let me know if you can come.'

Kunzite replied: 'Will be there.'

Zoisite replied: 'See you then'

Nephrite replied: 'I will bring a game.'

Andrew replied: 'I will be there and I am sure I will have an update for you.'

Jadeite replied: 'I guess I can grace you with my presence. Raye says she can spare me. What's the update on?'

Darien replied: 'Glad you can all come. You will get that answer tonight.'

Darien put his phone away and took care of his lunch dishes and then went back to work on his civics paper. He wanted to finish up his second draft before the guys arrived for the evening.

At a quarter to five there was a knock on Darien's door and when he opened it Andrew was standing there smiling at him. Darien invited him in and Andrew handed him a bill for Serena's food. Darien smiled at him, pulled out his wallet and paid Andrew without a word said between them.

"So she was in today." Darien surmised.

Andrew nodded, "She was in today and I gave her your message." He sat on the couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "She was absolutely shocked and pleased. All of the girls were. She said it was the sweetest thing anyone had done for her and that it made her feel special. She asked me to leave out that last part and I told her I wouldn't."

"She didn't want you telling me the last part?" Darien was puzzled.

Andrew smiled at him and took a lot of joy in saying, "She didn't want you to think she was reading too much into it."

Darien looked incredibly pleased and said, "Thank you for being the messenger today. I know she is like a sister to you. I am really serious about her."

"I didn't think you would be stupid enough to halfheartedly go after Serena. Plus there would be a long line of people wanting to kick your ass if you hurt her and that would include every one of your friends."

Darien nodded and stopped from saying more and telling Andrew how much he was in love with her and how she was his future. He felt exposed enough as it was and he knew the guys would want an update to what Andrew alluded to earlier. He was going to feel even more exposed this evening.

At five o'clock the rest of the guys started showing up and they quickly decided on a place to order food from and settled down to grill Jadeite on Raye.

Jadeite knew he had to give them something so he decided to give a summary, he wanted to get to what Andrew had referred to in the text. After all Darien looked the happiest he had ever seen him and he wanted to know what was going on.

Jadeite started, "We went for a walk in the park by the lake and no way in hell am I telling you about what was said. Don't even ask." Nephrite deflated a bit. "I then took her to dinner and walked her home to the temple. I spoke with her grandfather and told him I was dating Raye. He actually told me that if I hurt Raye he would push me in the Great Fire. He then pointed out that since he was old, that even if he was convicted of my murder he wouldn't spend that much time in prision. I never knew he could be so scary."

"Raye had to get it from someone." Zoisite pointed out.

"She is amazing isn't she." Jadeite started with a sappy look on his face.

They all chuckled at that.

Kunzite managed to ask Darien about the update before Jadeite could. He looked seriously at Darien and said, "If you are willing to tell us what update Andrew gave you that made you look so happy, we would all love to know."

Darien nodded and did something that was completely foregin to him, he talked about himself. "I called Andrew this morning and told him to hold Serena's bill to the side at the Arcade from now on and that I would pay for her. She was in today and he updated me on that. She was happy and she thought it was really sweet of me." He shrugged nervously as if to brush off their attention.

Andrew added, "She said it made her feel special."

Kunzite smiled and said, "Good, she is perfect for you. Those girls are already under all of our protection, but please tell Raye and Serena that they can come to any of us. We watch out for one another in this group." Nephrite, Zoisite and Andrew nodded in agreement.

Once again it all sank in a little bit more that he had each one of them to help him through anything.

As he laid down that night, he looked at Serena's picture and quickly drifted off to sleep. Before he knew it he was in the garden face to face with Endymion and they nodded at each other.

"Is this the Moon?" Darien asked. "I assume it is, but I want to make sure. Everything is a bit overwhelming now."

Endymion nodded and said, "This is the Royal Garden for the Moon Kingdom. Serenity and I spent a lot of time walking these paths together." He paused and pointed over to a patch of trees in the distance. "That over there is where she died, well we died. This is the last place we spent time together."

"I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend tomorrow, we will be together again. It didn't all end here, it is also a beginning, our beginning." Darien stated.

Endymion nodded, "Keep her safe. I have traversed death, time, and probability to get here to prepare you to keep her safe and treat her like the amazing woman she is. Help our spirit truly find peace."

"I will and I will love her fiercely. I have already begun taking care of her. She will never question my love for her." Darien promised.

"I am not worried about you with her, you will love her and protect her. I happen to know just how you feel about her, I am you after all. I have been where you are at the beginning of a relationship with her." Endymion stated.

"What does that flower I picked smell like? I have it in my room and I am sure I have smelled it before." Darien asked, changing the subject suddenly.

Endymion laughed and shook his head at Darien, "It smells like Serena, that is where you smelled it before."

"Do I tell her about all of this?" Darien asked, concerned that he would have to keep a secret from her.

Endymion said, "You should tell her. There shouldn't be secrets between the two of you. You would want her to let you in on everything too. She is surprisingly resilient. Now about your men, you need to trust them more than you do."

"Why does it feel like you enjoy dropping things on me and then waiting for me to ask questions?"

Endymion replied, "Because you can leave here and hold her, I get jealous. Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoisite were my four generals and I trusted them deeply. Andrew was my best friend since childhood. Those five made up my inner circle, not one would betray me. They won't betray you, they were reincarnated too. Queen Serenity, Princess Serenity's mother had them reincarnated along with her Senshi and her best friend. They are all alive to serve the two of you. Don't let your past dictate your future, they will not fail you."

Darien was reeling from the information that Endymion just told him. He didn't notice that Endymion had gone to one of the flower beds and picked a flower until it was handed to him. Endymion then said, "That's enough for tonight."

When Darien woke for school he found a beautiful white flower next to him with petals in the shape of hearts. He placed it in the cup on his nightstand and got ready for school. He was looking forward to seeing Serena.


	8. Finding Out

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

Thank you all for reading

Chapter 8 - Finding Out

Mina showed up at Serena's door first thing in the morning, she knocked and waited for someone to answer. Sammy opened it laughing and said, "You have to be kidding me! Of course Serena is still asleep."

She replied, "I was counting on that. I am actually here to talk to you. Is there somewhere we can talk where we won't be overheard?"

Sammy nodded and stepped outside and closed the door behind him and said, "Let's go sit on the patio out back. I would take you through the house, but I assume you don't want my parents to know you are here. I am really glad that you came."

Mina followed him to the back yard and they sat on the patio furniture on the deck and she said, "I was hoping to ask what is going on at home. I knew something was up and then the other day she asked about moving in with me after graduation. I am thrilled to live with her, but I got the feeling there was something she wasn't telling me. You both are close and I am hoping you won't feel like it's betraying her to tell me what's going on."

He smiled and said, "Thank goodness! I was about to go to you. I am glad you noticed something was wrong, I am glad you are so close. Long story short, mom is awful to her. She is angry all of the time and we have to be careful around her, but Serena always draws her anger away from me and focuses it on herself. She purposely takes the brunt of it from mom. Then mom gets so hurtful and tells Serena she was an accident and that she wishes she hadn't been born." Sammy was relieved to be telling Mina about what was going on. He was a man and he would protect her in any way he was able. His circumstances were such that they made this the best option.

"Dang it. I was thinking it would be something like that. How could your mother possibly miss the amazing woman Serena is? I don't understand it..." Mina shook her head in sorrow.

Sammy said, "She asked to move in with you because she believes mom will kick her out after graduation. She worries about me being left here without her protection. She went so far as to switch tests with Michelle, she showed mom her test grade to get mom off my back."

Mina let out a low whistle, "Wow. She gets awful grades."

Sammy nodded and said, "I am worried about her. Words hurt more than fists sometimes, what mom is doing isn't okay. What should I do?"

"Telling me was a good thing. I don't know what to do immediately, but I promise you I will figure something out. You have my word." Mina promised him. "First things first, I am going to be having sleepovers at my house for her. Also, I am going to go and have two keys made to my place. One for her and one for you. You are welcome to come anytime you need to or just to visit your sister. You will be safe there too though."

Sammy tried not to cry, he was a man after all. "Thank you. I will keep it and use it if I need to. I promised Serena that I would be honest with her about what was going on."

"Good, that was going to be the next thing I wanted to talk about. You have all of us, I don't know if you are aware of that, but you do. You can come to any one of Serena's friends and we will help you. Please don't doubt me." Mina insisted.

He nodded and said, "I believe you. I know what kind of loyalty my sister can inspire, I feel it too and it's not just because I am her brother."

The back door opened and they both turned to look at who came out the door. It was Serena. The first thing she said was, "You told her."

Mina nodded and said, "It should have been you that told me. What were you thinking keeping it from us all! You know what she is doing is wrong and you stayed in this situation anyway! That isn't right!"

"And who would listen besides all of my friends? Who would believe that 'perfect' Mrs Tsukino would be horrible to her children? Everyone thinks she is the best mother." Serena said defensively.

"You don't need others when you have us. We could have thought about a solution all together, you shouldn't go through this alone! You have me!" Mina yelled the last at her and was upset.

"And having you is what helped keep me sane!" Serena yelled and then took a deep breath. "Sorry, honestly I am glad you know now. I am just embarrassed that you know that she hates me."

Mina replied, "I know your worth and your mother saying awful things doesn't change it in the slightest. Sammy is worried about you. I am going to give him a key to my place so he has somewhere safe to escape to until we figure out a permanent solution. I am giving you a key too."

Serena walked right over to Mina and gave her a huge hug and said, "Thank you. I was wrong. I should have told you." She stepped back and hugged Sammy. "Thanks for being brave enough to tell her when I wasn't."

Sammy replied, "I told you I could help protect you." He was proud that he had carried through on that. "Now you and Mina get out of here. Mom is distracted and it is the perfect time to get away."

Serena nodded and jokingly said, "Yes Sir!"

Sammy felt more like a man that day than he had any day previously.

Serena and Mina met the rest of the girls at the Arcade, Mina had decided that updating the girls could happen later. A public place wasn't good for these types of conversations.

They all sat down and ordered their food and shakes and Serena said, "Okay, Raye tell us about Jadeite."

"Things are great! He's just really weird though, my grandfather threatened to burn him alive in the Great Fire and I swear I saw Jadeite's respect for him rise. That's strange right?"

Lita said, "I say it's a good sign, he is dating you after all."

"You know I could smack you!" Raye said.

Lita started laughing and said, "See that's my point!"

"So is he kind to you?" Amy asked.

"He is so sweet! He got all of the doors, he bought me dinner, and he walked me home and spoke to my grandfather about dating me. He is such a gentleman." Raye gushed.

Mina shook her head, "Hopefully he's not too much of a gentleman."

They all chuckled at that.

They chatted and had a wonderful time and they talked about school the next day. Raye hoped Jadeite would walk her to her first class.

They all realized it was time to get home to finish up some homework and prepare for school the next day.

The girls all went to pay for their food and Serena noticed Andrew skipped giving her the bill for her food. She said, "Andrew, how much do I owe you? You forgot to charge me. Not that I am complaining." She smiled up at him.

He had a huge smile on his face and said, "I got a call from Darien earlier today. He is covering the cost of all of your food and drinks here from now on. I guess you have more money to spend on video games."

All of the girls looked at Serena in shock and she shook her head at them, "I really have no clue why he would do that. He hasn't said anything to me. I haven't spoken to him since I thanked him for helping Molly on Friday." She looked up at Andrew, "Was there any message?"

Andrew shrugged and said, "Just that you don't have to pay for anything here. You can ask him tomorrow if you would like."

Serena was wide eyed, "I don't know what to say. Well, I could say that is the sweetest thing anyone has done for me." She smiled and added, "It makes me feel special." She looked startled and said, "Oops, I forgot that he is your friend too. Maybe you could just not repeat that last part, please. I don't want him thinking I am reading too much into it."

Andrew shook his head at her, "No promises from me on that!" He then winked at her and headed off. He held Serena's bill aside and knew he would just take it with him tonight to see Darien. He figured he could show up a little early and slip it to him.

Serena looked at her friends and said, "Shoot, please tell me I am reading too much into this. If he isn't interested in me and this is something else my heart can't take it." She placed her hands over her face and added, "I have fallen in love with him and I don't think I can take finding out I don't stand a chance with him."

Mina rolled her eyes, "What guy pays for a girl he isn't interested in? Even Raye paid for her own food today."

"Hey!" Raye objected. "Don't be bashing Jadeite."

"I'm not," Mina said. "I am however making a point. He bought you dinner last night." Raye nodded. "See, guys buy food for girls they like. On top of the fact that it had to be some kind of declaration, Andrew is one of his closest friends. He isn't trying to hide it from anyone and you are right, he doesn't like being the topic of conversation."

Serena teared up, "Your right, he might really like me. Oh my gosh, how should I act around him tomorrow?"

"Just be yourself, that seems to be working for you." Raye noted and added, "Apparently he is as smart as we all assumed and he is and has developed feelings for you. I am glad to know I don't have to be disappointed in him."

Lita said, "Serena and Raye could go on double dates with the guys! This will be awesome."

"Hey, I am so glad I was wrong about him seeing you as Andrew's little sister. Apparently he sees you as something else entirely." Molly said.

Serena headed home and even her mother couldn't get her down in the slightest. Serena set her alarm early, she wanted to get to school in plenty of time. She had Darien to thank.

That night she arrived in the gardens again and sighed, "I wish I could remember this during the daytime."

"Sorry, but you do look lovely here." Endymion said.

"Sorry, I know you look like Darien, but my heart belongs to him. I am sorry if that bothers you." Serena said apologetically.

"You mistake me, I want you and Darien together. I won't say things like that anymore." he promised.

She smiled at him and looked around, "This garden is so lovely. I am happy to be here."

"I will let you wander around then. Have a wonderful time." he said.

Serena wandered through the gardens and came across a flower that was so lovely she felt tempted to touch it. When she did it closed up into a tight bud and then after she pulled away it slowly unfurled. It really was a marvelous flower she thought.

She continued wandering the paths and taking in the beauty all around her. When she woke in the morning she remembered nothing.


	9. I Love You

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489 and for your wonderful help with fixing the dialog and wording in this chapter

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 9 - I Love You

Darien got up and looked at the picture he had of Serena as he smelled the flower, and sure enough it brought everything back, it did smell like her. He then got up to get ready for school, he had breakfast, and got dressed. He went into his office and before he packed his books he opened up his laptop and updated his file on his nightly excursions.

List Of Things I Noticed/Learned In The Gardens

Night One

Where ever I was I could see Earth

Every flower was white

Every fish was white

Garden had unique flower - researched flowers, couldn't find them

Sound, feel, and touch seemed normal

Garden was manicured, obviously tended to by someone

Flowers showed up in the morning, meant the place was real

I had a feeling of peace and contentment there, incredible

Night Two

Same feeling as the day before

Found a red rose laying on a bench, looked like a rose you would find on Earth

Smell of flower I picked seemed familiar, still does

I was dressed in a dark uniform

Came face to face with a man that looked like me

He said it was time to start learning about the past

He wore the exact same uniform I did

He said Serena was important, she is everything

He said Serena was in danger, couldn't be left unprotected any longer

He said he failed her

He said I will understand

Night Three

Other me is Endymion and Serena was Serenity

Serena is the Moon Princess and heir to the Silver Millenium, whatever that is

I am the Prince of Earth

We fell in love and got engaged

Beryl

She wanted to be Queen

Called on Metalia to give her dark energy as power

She killed my father

Led an army from Earth and destroyed the moon and other planets

Tried to kill Serenity, killed me instead

Metalia killed her and reincarnated now to get Serena's power - What is the Power?

Serenity killed herself after Endymion died with his sword

The Queen of the Moon gave up her life and used her power to have us reincarnated

Serena has untold power

I can transform into a masked man in a tuxedo

I have roses that can pierce

I have roses that can explode

I have very fast reflexes

I am to protect her when I feel her in danger

The garden is on the Moon - confirmed

Night Four

Serenity and Endymion died in the garden I have been seeing

The gardens are the Royal Gardens of the Moon Kingdom

The flower smells like Serena

Endymion recommends I tell Serena about everything

Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite were all my generals

Andrew was my best friend from childhood

He said Serena's friends are all reincarnated too

He said to trust my men

When he got to school he noticed that Serena was there early and waiting for someone. He walked up to her and she turned to him and gave him a magnificent smile.

She said, "Oh good, I was hoping to catch you before school! I have two things, first thing, thank you so much for buying my food yesterday." She blushed and added, "I don't know why you did it but it means a lot to me."

Darien, emboldened by his conversations with Endymion, reached out and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and stared straight into her blue eyes. Letting out a deep sigh to calm his nerves he said, "You constantly amaze me. You are kind, cheerful, loving, and deeply devoted to those you care about. It's what you do, it's what you are, and I love that about you. I... I love you, Serena. Would you be my girlfriend?" His hand slowly moved from her cheek down to her hand, as he interlaced their fingers together.

Her mouth dropped open in surprise and she looked up into his eyes to try to find the truth there, "Wha… what? Me?" She smiled up at him and said, "You really do want to date me when you can have any girl you want?"

Darien smiled down at her and said, "If you say yes to being my girlfriend I will get exactly the girl I want. None of the other girls even compare to you."

She nodded and kissed his cheek, "I would love to be your girlfriend and I love you too."

He tugged her gently to his side and asked, "What was the second thing you wanted to ask me? Anything I can do for you I will."

She blushed at that and asked him, "I was wondering if you could give me advice on my brother. He's like you, really smart and quieter at school. He hasn't managed to find friends like you did though. I was wondering if you have any suggestions."

Darien was astounded that she was trusting him to be able to help her brother. He wanted to live up to her belief in him. "Can I have some time to think about that? I don't want to give you a quick answer, I want to give it the thought it deserves."

Serena beamed up at him and nodded, "Yes, thank you. You are so sweet to me. I am the luckiest girl to have you."

"I could argue that I am the lucky one so we will just have to agree to disagree on that. Will you let me walk you to class?" She nodded and they headed inside still holding hands. "So, who were you waiting for this morning?"

She looked at him and chuckled, "Silly, I told you I was waiting for you. Who else would I get to school early for? I am pretty sure this is the only time in my life that I have ever been early for anything."

He marveled at the idea that she really had been there for him. Then he remembered he should pass on a message, "You need to know I would do anything for you. You can come to me for anything. But all of the guys want you to know that you could come to them too. You are under all of our protection."

She smiled and said, "Thank you, you are all under my protection too." She winked at him and laughed. "You might not know it, but I am really good at blackmailing people."

Darien said, "I will let them know you are offering that as a service if they need it."

"I am so happy, I didn't even know I could ever be this happy." She squeezed the hand that she was holding and leaned her head up against his arm.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," he replied.

He stopped with her outside of her class and told her, "I don't want to leave, but I have to. I will see you later." He reluctantly let go of her hand and headed off to class.

Serena rushed in and sat next to Mina, "Oh. My. Gosh. You won't believe what happened!"

"Darien confessed his love to you and you two are dating now. You are also incandescently happy and can't wait to tell everyone." Mina asked lightly.

Serena deadpanned, "You suck."

"He asked you to be his girlfriend in front of the school, what did you expect? Half of our class already knows you are together. He wasn't subtle about asking you out my dear. I am incredibly happy for you though." Mina said.

Serena's eyes got huge, "Others saw it? Really?"

Mina just nodded and then said, "Come on you know everyone would be talking about it any way. You are dating the man that no other woman has managed to get. That, and he was the one who did the asking. That's news around here."

Serena put her head in her hands, "He hates being talked about."

"And yet I truly believe he will be glad that everyone knows he's dating you. Don't worry, he won't mind it this time." Mina assured her.

Serena hoped she was right.

At lunchtime Serena headed to meet up with Darien and she was incredibly nervous. The fact that they were dating seemed to be all anyone could talk about. She knew that her nerves might just be making it seem like that, but that fact didn't calm her down.

She turned the corner and her worries drifted away. She saw Darien walking towards her with his friends laughing and joking with them. She then saw Darien pat Jadeite on the back and they both made their way away from the group. Serena quickly lost track of Jadeite who went over to Raye's side. Her eyes were focused on Darien as he walked up to her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Any worries she did have left fled under the light of the truth of what Darien said next, "So the whole school is talking about what a lucky man I am. I have to admit it feels pretty good."

She smiled up at him and said, "And all I have been hearing is how lucky I am to get you. We must not be talking to the same people."

Darien shook his head and said, "It sounds like I am talking to smarter people than you are. You really need to think about the quality of people you are around all day."

Serena smiled and joked along with him, "Well, it's hard when you are as popular as I am and people keep coming to talk to me about you."

"They are just jealous." Darien stated, "Don't listen to them."

"That we can completely agree on! They are incredibly jealous and the bitch hiding in me is loving it." Serena laughed out loud.

He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together and said, "You don't have a mean bone in your body."

"Tell that to Cleo, I did blackmail her. I just have layers, you'll have to get used to it."

"I look forward to peeling back your layers." He paused and shook his head, "Don't say anything, I just heard what that sounded like. That isn't what I meant to say."

She just laughed and they headed over to sit with their friends for lunch.

As they sat, Kunzite frowned and said, "I thought you said you would be ignoring us from now on Jadeite, I was taking that as a promise."

Jadeite laughed and replied, "I decided that I wouldn't ignore you guys, you are welcome. I know you were all losing sleep over it."

Nephrite decided to be a little bold and sit down next to Lita and she smiled at him and he was thrilled that he took the risk.

Serena marveled how their two groups seemed to come together so seamlessly. She had a fabulous lunch time sitting next to Darien and laughing with all of their friends. Something just felt incredibly right about them all coming together and she was at peace.

When it was time to head off to class Darien pulled her aside and said, "I have Kendo practice after school and I can't walk you home. I am really sorry. I wanted to spend more time with you, precious one."

She smiled and said, "Kendo practice gives you all of those muscles I find incredibly attractive on you. You won't hear any complaints from me, I can walk myself home. Just make sure you call me tonight. You do have my cell phone number, right?"

He blushed and nodded, "Andrew gave it to me yesterday."

She smiled and said, "Good. Call me tonight. I'm looking forward to your call."

"How will you know it's me when I call?" Darien asked.

Serena held up her cell phone and showed a text from Andrew, "He gave me your number too."

Darien laughed and squeezed her hand and said, "I love you." And then he headed off to class so he wouldn't be late. He barely made it.


	10. Woman Of The Moon

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489, thank for for catching grammar errors and cannon errors

Thank you all for reading

Chapter 10 - Woman Of The Moon

Serena walked home almost floating on air. Darien told her he loved her and he was now her boyfriend. Her previous worries that she had unrequited feelings instantly evaporated under the discovery that he returned her feelings. She smiled to herself and let out a happy sigh. He loved her. What a wonderful thing to have and treasure in her heart.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of young boys yelling and a hissing cat. She rushed over to find a little black cat being harassed by some kids. She swooped in and gently grabbed the cat getting scratched for her troubles. She then yelled at the boys, "Go, leave the cat alone!"

The boys ran off and Serena looked down at the cat, "Did those awful boys hurt you? Poor thing they stuck a bandage on your forehead." She pulled the bandage off and noticed a crescent moon. "Huh, you have a crescent moon on your forehead." She looked at the poor cat and held it carefully. "I am going to bring you home. I'm sorry, I need to put you in my bag to sneak you past my mother. I want to make sure you're okay."

The cat stared up at her and was able to sense something and wondered if this girl could be who she was looking for.

Serena snuck the cat into her room and then walked across the hall to knock on Sammy's door. He answered and she said, "I know you don't love cats, but I have one hidden in my room right now. Can you help me keep it a secret? I want to make sure it's okay before I let it go since a bunch of boys were being awful to her and I am worried that she might be hurt."

"No problem," Sammy replied. "I won't say anything to mom."

"Thanks."

Serena returned to her room and went to the cat and looked at her. "I'm gonna run down and find a can of tuna for you to eat. Please, stay in this room and be quiet." She didn't know why but she had this weird feeling that the cat understood her and she carefully closed her bedroom door and went to grab a can of tuna. The cat ate the entire can Serena gave her.

Serena then decided that she would sit down and work on her homework. Darien was at Kendo practice and she figured she might as well try and get her homework done on time. She was dating the smartest guy in school after all. She thought it would be nice to pull her grades up a little.

She spent hours studying, had a very tense dinner with her brother and parents, and then had a sweet phone call with Darien. Serena yawned and was ready to start getting ready for bed. She turned and saw the new cat sitting at the foot of her bed staring at her expectantly. "And what would you like?" She jokingly asked.

"I would like to talk to you, Serena." The cat replied.

"What! I should know better than to study that much!" Serena replied in a sort of daze.

"My name is Luna and I have been looking for you for a long time." The cat said ignoring Serena's comment.

"Oh my gosh, I have finally lost it. What are you talking about?" Serena asked.

Luna replied, "I have been sent to guide you along your ultimate path, you are the chosen one. You Serena, are Sailor Moon. You need to protect Earth and right now your friend Molly needs you. She is in danger. I can prove it to you, please take this." Luna hands her a broach.

"You are telling me I am the chosen one and you give me jewelry? I really am going crazy. It's too bad though… and just when Darien told me he loves me." She buried her face in her hands still holding the broach.

Luna looked frustrated and said, "Serena, you have to listen. Fine, I'll prove it. Hold the broach and say Moon Prism Power."

"I really need to stop studying so hard. Fine talking cat in my dream, I will say it. Moon Prism Power." Serena announced.

Serena transformed into Sailor Moon and the red jewels on her odangos started flashing and she heard Molly yelling, "Help me somebody please! Please, help me!"

Serena's eyes shot open wide, "Oh my gosh that's Molly!"

"I have been trying to tell you that your friend is in danger. You're Sailor Moon protector of the Moon Princess. A powerful evil is here on Earth and it is your job to fight it. That locket and your powers will help you, you must stop evil when it comes. It is your destiny" Luna insisted.

"My destiny?"

"Yes, now go and help Molly!" Luna demanded. "Don't be afraid."

"You get that I am just a high school student, right? I am not a superhero."

"You are now," Luna said. "Go and save Molly."

Serena and Luna raced to the jewelry story that Molly's mother owned.

When she arrived at the store she saw someone holding onto Molly and saying, "I am Morga, Queen Beryl will unleash the Nega Force and destroy all of you!"

Meanwhile Darien was at home in his apartment. He had been so happy after talking to Serena on the phone, his girlfriend. He really liked the sound of that last part. He then felt an unmistakable pull to protect her and he knew this was what Endymion had been talking about. He pulled a rose out of his subspace pocket and he transformed into the masked man he had been on the moon. He then rushed to her, pulled by his desire to protect the one most precious thing in his life. He rushed off after her, he would follow her anywhere.

Serena was terrified for her friend and she yelled, "I am Sailor Moon, the champion of justice! And I say, on behalf of the Moon, I shall right all wrongs and triumph over evil! And that means you, Morga!"

Morga laughed, "Never heard of you! Rise, my children, and serve the power that is the Negaverse!"

Sailor Moon found herself being attacked by customers and she ran around the store trying to escape the zombie customers, "I don't know what to do! They are all human, I can't hurt them." she shouted at Luna as she backed herself into a corner.

Morga let out an evil laugh, "Don't worry, it will all end for you very soon! I will kill you." She reached out and Serena screamed, suddenly a rose landed between Morga and Serena and Morga turned to the intruder. "And who the hell are you?!"

"I am Tuxedo Mask, leave her alone!" Darien knew he had to protect Serena and he racked his brain over what to do.

Morga knocked Tuxedo Mask down and reached out to strangle him and then Serena screamed as she saw him attacked. Her odango jewels glowed red and the zombie customers fell to the ground and Morga clutched her hands over her ears. "Stop her screaming!"

Luna darted from behind a counter, "Sailor Moon, quickly throw your tiara and then say, 'Moon Tiara Magic'!"

"What good would that do?" Serena asked Luna, tears still in her eyes.

"Just trust me!" Luna insisted.

Serena shrugged and muttered to herself, "When the talking cat that turned you into a superhero asks you to trust her, I guess you don't have a choice." She took off her tiara and threw it at Morga. "Moon Tiara Magic!"

Morga shouted in pain and then dissolved into dust and all of the customers were released from their zombie like trance as their energy was replaced.

Darien stood there gaping at Serena and shook his head in amazement. He then noticed the cat dart out and tell Serena it was time to go. He definitely wanted to talk to Endymion about the talking cat. That was something that was unexpected.

He noticed that Sailor Moon had disappeared. He sighed and shook his head, he needed to have an important conversation with Serena sooner rather than later.

That night when he arrived in the garden he looked at Endymion and demanded, "Who the heck is the talking cat Luna and why is she making Serena fight?"

Endymion was stunned, "She was one of Queen Serenity's closest advisers, and from the planet Mau. I have no idea why she would have Serenity fight, that's horrible. She's the Moon Princess and should be protected by her Senshi."

"So you agree I shouldn't be letting her fight?"

"Absolutely. Everything would be lost if she died fighting a battle she wasn't meant to fight."

Darien nodded and said "Good, we are in agreement. I will let her know she isn't supposed to be part of the battle. I will step in where I can and I will look for her Senshi." He walked over to a flower bed and picked a flower. It had become their signal to let the other know the conversation was over. Darien wanted out quickly and to get to Serena. Every piece of him wanted to go to her and protect her.

As Serena finished getting ready for school Luna shook her head. "This is serious. I need to find the Sailor Scouts from the other planets and all of you need to protect the Moon Princess. In the meantime you need to defeat the forces of evil so that they can't find the princess before we do."

Serena nodded at her, "Defeat evil, find the princess, and don't fail my classes. Sure sounds simple," she scoffed.

"This is more important than school." Luna insisted.

"Apparently you haven't met my mother. Nothing is more important than school. If you want to you can stay here, but if someone opens the door make sure you hide. My brother knows about you, but anyone else will kick you out of the house. I will crack my window so you can come and go as you please."

Luna did a flip and a device came flying out and flew straight into Serena's hands. Luna said, "Keep that on you at all times so that I can get ahold of you. Answer it when I call. Remember this is all really important."

Serena looked over at her and asked, "So what does the princess look like?"

"I don't know." Luna admitted. "I just know we have to find her and I will know her when I see her."

"That is hardly much to go off of," Serena complained.

Luna said, "Just fight the evil and we will look for the rest of the Senshi. That is important in keeping her safe."

Serena shrugged and headed out her door and noticed she was running late. She grabbed a piece of toast from the kitchen and started out the front door at a run only to stop short. Outside at the curb was Darien leaning against his sports car and he said, "Care for a ride to school?" He flipped his keys in his hand and smiled at her.

"I thought you always walked to school." She questioned instead of answering.

He gave her a little smile and said, "I have a reason to drive my car now. We can't have you running late, now can we?"

"We sure can't, I look good in a sports car too so this is perfect." She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek and hopped in the car after he opened the door for her. She pulled her sunglasses out of her bag and popped them on and looked at Darien, "See I look cool in this car."

Darien smiled at her and said, "You look cool in anything. I love seeing you in my car and smiling." He kissed her cheek and then pulled away from the curb and started on his way to school.

"I had Kendo practice early this morning, that frees up my afternoon today so I can drive you over to my place after school and we can hang out." He hoped he sounded casual and not like he wanted to know what the precious girl before him was doing fighting evil. Okay, he admitted to himself she probably couldn't read that much into it.

She beamed at him and said, "Sounds great! I would love to spend some more time with you. It also means more time in your cool sports car. Win-win."

He had never been so happy to have spent all of that money on his car. It was worth every penny when she loved it.

Too soon they got to school and he parked and said, "Wait there." He jumped out and dashed over and opened her door and she stepped out.

"Thank you. You are just perfect aren't you?"

"I am glad you think so. I want to make you happy."

She smiled up at him, "Then you should know I am ecstatic."

"Even better." He took her school bag off of her shoulder and put it around his own and walked her to class. At the door he gave it back to her and said, "I will see you at lunch, precious one."

At those last two words she teared up and said, "You make me so happy."

They each then headed to class smiling.

Mina and Kunzite each chuckled when they observed the two in class. It was obvious that each one was incredibly happy. Something about it left them both with a deep feeling of contentment and rightness.

Serena overheard Molly saying, "My mom and I had a weird dream that we were attacked by something calling herself Morga and a warrior saved us named Sailor Moon."

Down the row Michelle said, "I had the same dream too! That sure is strange."

Serena just yawned, she was really tired after the battle last night.


	11. I Don't Want To Lose You

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

I changed this story to a rating of Mature. I wanted to make sure to point that out

Chapter 11 - I Don't Want To Lose You

Serena had been racking her brain over what to say to Darien about the night before. She wanted to tell him and be honest with him, but she also knew she would sound crazy. Every time she tried to work out what to say she scrapped it and tried again. 'Darien, a talking cat showed up and told me that I am a superhero and now I fight bad guys' was the most logical sentence she was able to form. Darn it. She didn't know what to tell him, but she didn't want to hide it from him. Then she got a great idea, she could just transform in front of him. That would at least show him she isn't crazy. Maybe he wouldn't even faint, she would have to tell him while he was sitting down.

Darien, however, was really looking forward to their conversation after school. He was pleased that she seemed like she was struggling with something. He wanted to believe that she would tell him what was going on even if he hadn't been Tuxedo Mask.

After school he met her at her locker and took her bag from her shoulder and put it on his own. He smiled at her and slid his hand down her arm and then laced their fingers together. He pulled her close and said, "Whatever you are worried about will all work out, I promise. Let's get to the car and I will take you to my place so we can talk about whatever is bothering you."

She squeezed his hand and looked up at him, "You just have to promise to be open minded and not faint."

He chuckled at that and said, "Buns, I promise I will be."

"Buns?" Serena asked looking up at him puzzled.

Darien reached over with his free hand and lightly flicked her odango hairdoo and said, "Yup, Buns. It's my nickname for you."

She laughed and shook her head, "I don't know if I like it."

He leaned down and whispered,"Well, between you and me you have nice buns too." He winked at her and smiled.

"In that case I will let the nickname stand," she said chuckling. "Now I just have to come up with a nickname for you. How about Dare Bear?"

He paled and said, "You can't call me that. I would never hear the end of it from the guys!"

"Fine, I'll keep thinking then. Pudding Pop?" she joked.

They had arrived at the car and he paused and said, "No, that isn't any better." He opened up the car door for her and she climbed in and he put their bags in the back seat. "Maybe I don't need a nickname."

"But you gave me one that's cute, and secretly compliments my butt." She pouted and said, "I think you need one." She cracked a smile at him as he pulled away from the school.

"Fine, but only if I get veto power on whatever you call me." He acquiesced.

"Deal!" She said smiling.

"Why do I have the feeling that I am going to be using my veto a lot?" he asked.

She just shrugged. "So, will there be a lot of kissing when we get to your apartment?"

He jerked the steering wheel to right the car. "You can't say stuff like that out of the blue. I almost drove off the road." He leveled a serious look at her and then focused on the road again. "And yes, there will be lots of kissing."

He pulled into his parking space and turned off the car and looked over at Serena and gave her a half smile. He leaned over the stick shift and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. Her lips slightly parted as she stared up at him and he was overwhelmed with desire for her. He leaned down and claimed her lips and their first kiss.

He felt her moan more than heard it and the animal within him growled and he deepened the kiss, tasting her and relishing the feel of her in his arms. He wanted to pull her even closer, but no matter how sexy it sounded to kiss your girlfriend in your sports car, the middle counsel was getting in his way. He nipped at her bottom lip and then kissed down her neck then rested his head against her shoulder as they both tried to catch their breath.

"Let's get out of this car and up to my place." Darien suggested and opened his door and then went over and held Serena's open for her. He then grabbed their things and they went up to his apartment.

Serena turned to him as soon as he closed the door and wrapped her arms around him and he held her close. She looked up at him and into his blue eyes and said, "I feel like I am going to wake up from this dream."

Darien gave a nervous chuckle and said, "Speaking of dreams, we need to talk about a dream I have been having a lot lately. Come on in and make yourself comfortable."

She nodded and sat down on his couch and tucked her legs up under her. "I have something I need to tell you too, but you go first."

Darien was relieved, she planned on telling him about her life as a superhero. He was inordinately happy with that news. He smiled and said, "It will sound crazy, but I have been going for walks on the moon at night. I met someone there named Endymion and he told me that we are reincarnated soulmates destined to find each other." He saw she looked incredibly puzzled and he imagined that after what happened yesterday it all must be overwhelming. "He also told me who Luna is."

"Wait, what? How do you know about Luna? I was trying to figure out how to tell you about her and you already know?!" She was distressed.

"Shoot this isn't coming out right." He paused and decided to show her his file he had complied. He rushed to his office and got the laptop and pulled up the document. He then said, "One night I had a dream and I picked a flower while I was walking in a beautiful garden. When I woke up in the morning the flower was next to me in bed. I realized it couldn't be a normal dream. Here is the file I kept of everything I learned and saw each night." He handed her the laptop and she read it all.

List Of Things I Noticed/Learned In The Gardens

Night One

\- Where ever I was I could see Earth

\- Every flower was white

\- Every fish was white

\- Garden had unique flower - researched flowers, couldn't find them

\- Sound, feel, and touch seemed normal

\- Garden was manicured, obviously tended to by someone

\- Flowers showed up in the morning, meant the place was real

\- I had a feeling of peace and contentment there, incredible

She looked up at him, "You were in this garden and you brought a flower back?" He nodded. "Why does this sound familiar?"

He replied, "Keep reading and you will see."

Night Two

\- Same feeling as the day before

\- Found a red rose laying on a bench, looked like a rose you would find on Earth

\- Smell of flower I picked seemed familiar, still does

\- I was dressed in a dark uniform

\- Came face to face with a man that looked like me

\- He said it was time to start learning about the past

\- He wore the exact same uniform I did

\- He said Serena was important, she is everything

\- He said Serena was in danger, couldn't be left unprotected any longer

\- He said he failed her

\- He said I will understand

"Wait, I'm in danger? What is he talking about?" she asked him.

Darien answered, "Beryl, you heard about her last night from Morga."

"I am going to ask you how you know about all of that once I stop reeling from all of this new information." she informed him.

"Don't worry you will see in a minute."

Night Three

\- Other me is Endymion and Serena was Serenity

\- Serena is the Moon Princess and heir to the Silver Millenium, whatever that is

"Wait, I am the princess that Luna is looking for? Why didn't she know that when she saw me? She acted like she would recognize her." Serena said in shock.

Darien shrugged, "I really don't know you would have to ask her."

\- I am the Prince of Earth

\- We fell in love and got engaged

"We were engaged in the past? That's so romantic!" she exclaimed.

\- Beryl

\- She wanted to be Queen

\- Called on Metalia to give her dark energy as power

\- She killed Endymion's father

\- Led an army from Earth and destroyed the moon and other planets

\- Tried to kill Serenity, killed me instead

\- Metalia killed her and reincarnated now to get Serena's power - What is the Power?

She looked up at him and she was startled, "So you already knew I had power before Luna showed up?"

He nodded, "I fully intended on talking to you tonight about all of this and then you found out from her first."

\- Serenity killed herself after Endymion died with his sword

\- The Queen of the Moon gave up her life and used her power to have us reincarnated

\- Serena has untold power

\- I can transform into a masked man in a tuxedo

\- I have roses that can pierce

\- I have roses that can explode

\- I have very fast reflexes

\- I am to protect her when I feel her in danger

\- The garden is on the Moon - confirmed

"Oh thank goodness! You're Tuxedo Mask!" Serena announced with a tremendous amount of relief.

Darien nodded and asked, "Why are you so relieved?"

"Because he's hot! Now I have a sexy boyfriend with a sexy alter ego." she smiled up at him.

Darien looked distressed, "You thought he was hot?"

She nodded, "Don't get offended, it's you."

"But you didn't know that," he interjected

"I could argue I would know you anywhere and find you hot. We are reincarnated and destined to find each other," she pointed out.

He nodded, "I guess that makes sense."

"Don't pout, you know I am crazy about you. Are you really getting jealous over yourself?" she pointed out. She then went back to reading the file.

Night Four

\- Serenity and Endymion died in the garden I have been seeing

\- The gardens are the Royal Gardens of the Moon Kingdom

\- The flower smells like Serena

\- Endymion recommends I tell Serena about everything

She smiled at him and said, "Good I am glad neither of you wanted to keep me in the dark about this."

\- Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite were all Endymion's generals

\- Andrew was Endymion's friend from childhood

\- He said Serena's friends are all reincarnated too

\- He said to trust my men

"Oh my! Our friends are reincarnated too?" She paused and thought. "That explains a lot about Kunzite. He always seems like he is keeping an eye on you and watching out for you. I bet he was your head general."

"I'll have to ask Endymion about that. If you use that logic that would mean Mina was your head guard." he pointed out.

"That would make me the Moon Princess though. You really think I am the one Luna is looking for?" she shook her head. "That's crazy…"

"Yes and we have to tell her who you are so she will stop having you fight. You can't be risked going up against the Negaverse." Darien stated.

She shook her head, "I won't leave my friends to fight my battles for me. Beryl wants me dead and I am not going to hide behind anyone. I won't let them risk themselves and not fight alongside them."

Darien was agitated, "No, you have to be protected."

"That isn't how I see it at all. I killed myself in our last lifetime." she pointed out.

"Exactly, you have to be protected. Endymion-I failed in the past." Darien said.

Serena argued, "No, you died protecting me and I, as the defenseless Moon Princess, killed myself when all seemed lost. I need to learn to protect myself, Beryl will keep coming after me."

"No, you need to be hidden away and protected, Endymion agrees." Darien announced.

She scoffed and said, "Right, because his way worked in the past."

"That's not fair!" he shouted.

"No, what's not fair is having two guys make my decisions for me and tell me what I have to do! I defeated Morga, I was terrified, but I can do this! I will have you there helping me after all won't I?" she exclaimed.

He shook his head and was adamant that she be taken out of the fight. "You shouldn't be risked."

"That worked so well in our last life! Everyone was killed and I killed myself!"

"You are the princess and you are important!"

"So says my cat, she just insists I fight to keep her safe. What better way to hide the princess than in plain sight?"

"That's a stupid idea. Why do that?!"

"Because I want to fight and be a part of this with my friends. I don't want to be relegated to being protected and have no option but to kill myself when I no longer have protection!"

"You are being impossible. You can't fight, you have to stay safe, you must be protected."

Serena stood up quickly and said, "You keep saying that! I am about to get really mad and probably say things I don't mean. I am going to go home and cool off." She stomped over to pick up her bag and put on her shoes.

Before she walked out the door Darien said, "Please don't go. Let's talk about this."

"You don't want to talk. You want to tell me what to do, and I won't sit back and do nothing." she crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I will listen to what you say, I can't lose you." he begged.

Serena's anger deflated and she dropped her bag, took off her shoes, and walked over to him. "I meant it when I said I love you." she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head on his chest.

Darien sighed, "My parents died in a car crash, it isn't only about the ancient past for me. I am afraid of you dying."

She rubbed circles on his back and said, "Tell me about them."

He sighed and said, "That's just it, I can't. They loved me and I can't even remember them at all. I don't remember ever being loved. I can't lose the only love I have ever found."

"Then be there with me every step of the way. Keep my identity a secret and let's stop Beryl together before she can even discover who I really am." she requested.

"How will I keep you safe?" he asked.

She smiled at him, "Teach me to fight, train with me. We can work together, I think we'll make a great team."

"You would absolutely have to train." he was adamant on that one.

She knew he was coming around to see things her way and she put the final nail in the coffin, "I promise to wear something sexy to train in, and you did see my senshi fuku the other night. Surely you won't mind seeing me in that."

He smiled and shook his head, "No, I liked the outfit." He paused and let out a breath in a rush and said, "If it gets too dangerous we will revisit this decision?"

"Yes, we will reassess if it gets too dangerous." she promised.

He sighed, "Okay then. I will keep the secret that you are the Moon Princess, for now."

She smiled up at him, "Thank you Earth Prince and sexy superhero."

He raised one eyebrow and said, "Sexy superhero, I will show you sexy." He slid one hand to the middle of her lower back and the other down to her ass and grabbed it and pulled her closer. He kissed her and pulled her up against his groin so she could feel how turned on he was. All of the talk about tight clothing was having an effect on him.

She slid one hand and carded her fingers through his hair, her other hand slid down to feel his tight backside. She knew he could turn her into an ass girl, his was perfect. She relished the feelings running though her body and igniting her every nerve ending.

When they broke the kiss they were both left panting for air. He held her tightly in his arms and tried to control himself, this was just their second day of dating. He didn't want to move too fast for her no matter how loudly his hormones were demanding he take this further.

He settled down his hormones and looked gently loosened his grip on Serena.

After a while she said, "I know you are going to want to keep fighting me on this."

He nodded and said, "I promise not to say anything without talking to you first."

"Thank you sweetie pie."

"Veto."


	12. Family Ties

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

Chapter 12 - Family Ties

Darien gave her a gentle tug and walked her over to the couch. He sat down and brought her down to sit on his lap and he wrapped his arms around her. "I just want to keep you safe. I didn't want to take anything away from you."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "I know, and I get where you are coming from. I just have this need to be there for my friends."

"Hence the blackmail." he chuckled.

Serena nodded and sighed, "I like that you want to protect me so badly. It does make me feel cared for." She paused and added, "There is something else I should tell you. Mina just found out, but the rest of my friends haven't been told yet, they will find out soon though."

Darien kissed her head and said, "You can tell me anything."

"I know, but you aren't going to like it." She hesitated and then said, "My mother yells at me about my grades." She held up her hand and continued, "Not like you would expect. When I bring home a bad grade she screams at me about how much I disappoint her." She stopped and took a deep breath and then let it out. "She often tells me I was an accident and that she wishes I wasn't born."

Darien looked at her and he was stunned, "How can she say something like that to you?"

Serena shrugged her shoulders and said, "Mina found out from my brother, mom is awful to him too. Mina is making keys for both of us to her place in case we need to get away. She lives alone right now and I plan to go live with her after I graduate high school. I hate that I will leave my brother there alone. He gets great grades and she gets so mad on the rare occasions when he brings home a B+."

"You asked me to help him with friends and I will, but I will add this too. I won't let her continue this, we need to come up with what to do." he stated.

Serena nodded and said, "Mina says the same thing and she wants to get all of the girls in on thinking up an idea. I am sure she already thought to ask you about it too."

He ran his fingers through one long streamer of her hair and said, "How long has this been going on?"

She buried her head in his shoulder and said, "As long as I can remember."

"How can you be so cheerful all of the time with a mother like that? You amaze me." he said in awe.

"It's too much work to be sad," she replied. "I find it easier to just be happy and look at everything good in my life. I have wonderful things in my life, I have you after all."

He caressed her cheek and pulled her tighter against his body, "You absolutely have me, Buns." He then leaned in and kissed her passionately as his hand grasped her thigh.

By the time they stopped they were both gasping for air. She smirked at him and said, "I don't even remember what we were talking about. Kiss me again." And he did.

Later that afternoon he drove her home, opened the door of the car for her, and walked her to the front door. Her mother opened up the door immediately and said, "Serena, so good to see you home. Why don't you both come in? I made cookies."

Darien looked startled, but quickly schooled his features and said, "I would love to, Mrs. Tsukino." And they followed her inside and sat at the kitchen table.

Serena was about to speak when her mother scolded her saying, "Serena, why didn't you tell me you were dating Darien Shields? He seems like such a nice boy."

"I didn't know that you knew him, mother." she replied puzzled.

Mrs. Tsukino placed two cookies on Darien's plate and one on Serena's and said, "I had to hear that you two were dating from Sharron."

Darien looked over at Serena and she mouthed the words "Cleo's mom."

Darien took a bite of a cookie and once he swallowed he said, "These are delicious cookies Mrs. Tsukino, thank you for them. I am glad you are okay with me dating your daughter. I will be here tomorrow morning to pick her up for school." He knew this time he would be knocking on the door.

Serena stood quickly, and when her mother wasn't looking swiped the second cookie off of Darien's plate. "We should let him go mom, he has lots of homework to get done. Thank you for bringing me home and meeting my mother." She figured she should play it off as if their meeting was intentional.

Darien caught on and played along, "I was glad to come over and meet you Mrs. Tsukino. I am sure I will see you in the morning."

They all said their goodbyes and then Serena made a dash for her room. She didn't want to hear her mother ask how she managed to "catch" him. She figured it could wait for their family dinner.

As soon as Serena stepped in her room Luna jumped up on her bed and demanded to know about her day and her boyfriend.

"How did you hear about him?" Serena asked her puzzled.

Luna replied, "I was listening in when you finally arrived home."

"Then keep listening in on the conversations around here and you will find out that he will keep my mother from getting after me about school. You should be pleased that I will be under less scrutiny from her this way." she pointed out.

Luna huffed and moved on to a new topic, "Now, about this guy Tuxedo Mask. I am worried about him and I think you should stay away from him."

Serena was truly puzzled, "What are you talking about? He helped me."

"We don't know what he is after, he could be trying to gain your trust to find the princess. He may think we have her." Luna said, as if it was obvious.

"But we don't know what she looks like or where she is." she pointed out.

Luna nodded and said, "But he doesn't know that. He might be trying to trick us into leading him to her."

"That is crazy! I trust him, he helped me when I didn't know what I was doing. He could have just let Morga get me." Serena told Luna.

Luna just shook her head and said, "You are too trusting, you need to listen to me and stay away from him."

Serena didn't reply to her and wondered where Luna was getting her distrust of Tuxedo Mask from.

By the time Darien called Serena that night she couldn't contain her mirth. She was laughing when she answered the phone.

"And what is so funny this evening?" he asked her, smiling.

She chuckled and said, "You have done more for my relationship with my mother by just being you than any good grade I could possibly get. Did you know you are going to be a doctor, and you were accepted into the top medical program in the country? I heard about it all through dinner. She told me she was proud of me."

"I am not sure I see the humor in it. I shouldn't be the reason she values you," he stated.

She replied, "So, I deserve what she was saying before?"

"No!" he yelled quickly.

"So, if she is going to be unfair to me at least she is being nice. I'll take it." she reasoned.

Darien acknowledged she was right, "You have a point there. I just wish she valued you for who you are."

"You are really sweet, but you just learned about all of this, I have gotten used to it. Let's just be happy that she isn't being mean and is in a good mood. Even Sammy is benefiting from her change of mood." Serena pointed out to him. "That means a lot to me. I am really close to my brother and I love that it is even spilling over into making his life easier."

Darien smiled and said, "Does your brother do Kendo?"

Serena was puzzled by the change in conversation, "No, why?"

"The guys and I practice some mornings together before school and I was wondering if he would join us. We could teach him and joining the Kendo club at school would introduce him to some more people." he explained to her, hoping he was on the right track.

"What a great idea! Do you mind if I go and ask him about it now?" Serena said full of excitement.

Darien heard the joy in Serena's voice and decided to get out of his comfort zone for her and said, "Why don't you hand him the phone and I'll talk to him about it and answer any questions he has."

"Great idea!" Serena dashed across the hall and Darien heard her knock on Sammy's door and say, "Darien has a question for you, can you talk right now?" He didn't hear the response but he heard the phone get jostled.

Darien heard him tentatively say hello and he remembered they both were probably bad on the phone. He started with, "I won't keep you long, but I was wondering if you would like to learn Kendo from the guys and I tomorrow morning. I thought you might enjoy it."

He heard Sammy sigh and then he said, "My sister put you up to this, didn't she?"

Darien replied, "No" and he heard Sammy scoff. Then he added, "She told me that we are similar and asked how I managed to find friends as an introvert. Practicing Kendo was completely my idea, it is usually a close knit group and it is easier to make friends when you have something in common. From what I have heard we are a lot alike, our main similarity is that we both want to make your sister happy."

Sammy gave a short laugh and said, "Well played, Darien, you made it about Serena. What time do you want me ready tomorrow?"

By the time Sammy gave the phone back he knew what time Darien was picking him up and what he needed to bring.

Serena took the phone back and walked into her room and shut the door. "Do you know how sexy you are?"

He chuckled and said, "I take it you approve, that's good because if I drive him to school after practice I won't be able to pick you up tomorrow morning. You will have to let your mother know."

"I will break it to my mother, I don't mind walking tomorrow. I will meet you out front of the school." she told him.

"I will meet you there, Buns."

"It's a plan Pooh Bear."

"Veto."


	13. Dreams & Kendo Practice

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

If you read my short story Friday Night before, it now has a second chapter. It feels much more complete after I added it.

Chapter 13 - Dreams & Kendo Practice

Serena marched up to Endymion and said, "How dare you! I have been dreaming of this place for a while and I can't remember it in the morning, meanwhile Darien is able to remember and bring back flowers?! Now on top of all of that you tried to order me around and relegate me to the sidelines! You have to be kidding me!" she huffed.

Endymion looked stricken and said, "I take it, he told you."

"That's all you have to say!" she demanded.

He shook his head, "No, but you are Princess Serenity and you have to be guarded. You have a literal guard after all. That is their purpose, it's in their job title."

"And where were they when I killed myself?" she asked.

Endymion paled and said, "They were all dead."

"So it makes sense for me to learn to defend myself and not just be pushed to the side." she said with an air of smugness.

He replied, "No. While it does make sense to defend yourself, it doesn't mean you need to fight."

She smiled and said, "Well, you can't stop me. I fought Morga and I won and she won't be the last. I will not let my friends fight while I do nothing."

"They would be doing their job," he argued again.

"I am not having this argument with you when I won't even remember it in the morning. You could have the best reasoning in the world and change my mind and it still wouldn't matter. Go talk to Darien, he actually wants to see you right now." she informed him.

Endymion grew pensive, "I love you and I am sorry we fought."

"You love Serenity, apparently I am a poor imitation of her if you expect me to not fight along with my friends. I must have turned out very different than she did." Serena announced.

He sighed, "She wanted to learn to fight too."

"Then be okay with me fighting, let me do what she wasn't allowed to do." Serena reasoned with him.

He nodded and said, "I will speak with Darien. Have a wonderful time in the garden."

She spent the rest of her night peacefully walking through the garden and not worrying about what would come. If she did it would be waisted anyway.

Darien walked through the garden for a while looking at the beauty around him and wondering if Endymion was coming. He found a nice path that the flowers seemed slightly less tamed and walked down it enjoying the peace it brought to him.

"She's gorgeous when she is angry isn't she?" Endymion asked.

Darien spun around and said, "You saw her?"

"I see her every night. Don't worry when I complimented her she told me I wasn't you so I needed to stop." Endymion told him.

"Why didn't she tell me that she came here too?" Darien was hurt.

"She never remembers being here when she wakes up. I am just glad I am able to see her every night." Endymion explained.

"Where is Serenity then, why can't she talk to her?" Darien asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I told you she is reincarnated into Serena." Endymion replied like Darien was slow.

Darien grew exasperated, "Then why are you here?"

"My father was a complicated man. I grew up with stories about how kind and tender he was with my mother, he adored her and never remarried after she died. I was really young when she died so I couldn't picture him as anything but the cold, austere man he had become." He gave a short laugh and said, "Then I introduced him to Serenity and she brought that part of him back. He instantly started calling her daughter and made sure no one said anything against her. It was her kindness that brought back the man he had been when my mother had been alive. When he died he too had a crystal, a Golden Crystal, his wish just wasn't as big as Queen Serenity's. His wish was that I was able to protect her in life or in death. He just didn't plan on her taking her own life."

Darien was startled by the knowledge that he might have power too, "I have a Golden Crystal then, shouldn't that give me power? Shouldn't I be able to use that to help her?"

Endymion nodded, "Yes, you will be able to use it to help her."

"So, wait. Why can't she remember you then? You didn't answer that part." he asked.

Endymion deflated, "I can talk to you and you can remember, because we are the same and granted power to protect her. Talking to her in a garden doesn't protect her at all. I bring her there for my own selfish reasons, I just want to see her again."

"I have to admit it feels good that she rebuffed you. I don't know if that makes any sense though." Darien admitted.

Endymion chuckled, "None of this makes a lot of sense right now."

Darien looked at Endymion and said, "I agreed to hide the fact that she is the Moon Princess and let her fight for now. I am sure that isn't going to be what you want to hear."

Endymion said, "You would be right, I did just get an earful from Serena though. I know what you are up against."

Darien nodded, "We are back to her looking sexy when she is mad aren't we. It does make it harder to argue with her." He sighed, "She also has a point. She needs to be able to be herself and be the Moon Princess. The Serena I know always is there for her friends. How can I tell her I love her and then try to change her?"

Endymion had to acknowledge he had a point, "Just keep her safe. I want you to start working on drawing out the power of your Golden Crystal. You need to close your eyes and concentrate on the feeling of the power deep within you, then you need to work on slowly drawing it forth and filling you up. Start with that and we will see how you do."

Darien nodded and Endymion walked over and plucked a flower with beautiful silky petals and handed it to Darien and said, "Go and protect our girl."

Darien woke up and placed the flower in his cup by the bed and got ready for Kendo practice.

He pulled up at the curb in front of Serena's house and wished he had been able to see her before he headed off to practice with her brother. Sammy came out the front door with his things and walked over to the car and hopped in.

Sammy said, "Oh my gosh! This car is awesome."

Darien smiled and said, "Thanks." and pulled away from the curb to head to practice

"I'm sorry about saying that you were only inviting me because my sister told you too. I know she is the reason you asked, but I appreciate you thinking of me and bringing me along." He hesitated and said, "I'm picked on when I get perfect grades at school, sometimes I purposely get a B+ so that I can get others to back off. I know that sounds silly." Sammy fidgeted nervously.

Darien sighed and shook his head and said, "It isn't silly. I got picked on before by others too. The other kids feel dumb compaired to you and they have to say something to make themselves feel better. Don't get lower marks to support their egos. We'll think of something else to do to make you fit in."

"Can I tell them my sister's boyfriend will kick their asses if they bug me?" joked Sammy.

"Let's try to think of another solution first." he replied.

They arrived and Darien introduced Sammy to the others and they got to work explaining to him how to hold the Shinai (bamboo sword), how to use a shout and to stomp his foot when he struck. For over an hour they walked him through the techniques and the strikes and thrusts and Sammy was exhausted when it was over.

When they called time he flopped down on the floor and tried to catch his breath and said, "I'm exhausted, but that was fun though. Thank you for inviting me."

Kunzite offered a hand to Sammy and helped him back up and said, "You worked really hard and you're a natural. You should be proud of what happened here today. Now, go take a shower."

Sammy beamed at Kunzite and then trotted off to take shower.

Jadeite noted, "Looks like a little encouragement brings his energy right back."

Darien thought about how Sammy probably didn't get much encouragement at home. This would do more for him than just help him make friends. Out loud he said, "I'm glad I brought him, he needs to be doing this. Kunzite is right, he does have talent."

Nephrite added, "And he is fun to have around, I like him."

"I do too," Zoisite said.

Darien asked, "Mind if I bring him along to practice when we have it in the mornings?" They all agreed he was more than welcome. Then they all hit the showers and get ready for the school day.

When Darien arrived at school he smiled to himself when he saw Serena and the girls out front. He parked his car and headed over to her. As he arrived he heard Raye fussing to Jadeite about how she forgot her lunch at home. He turned to Serena and said, "Ready for class Buns?"

She smirked at him, leaned close to him and whispered, "Yes, I am Sugar Plum."

"Veto." he replied and then walked her to class.

Sammy noticed people looking at him differently at school that day. One of the guys who gave him the most trouble walked up to him before lunch, cornering him and asked. "So, who dropped you off in that sports car today?"

Sammy didn't see a problem with answering, "My sister's boyfriend did, it's his car."

"Why was he dropping you off?" Ryan, the bully asked.

Sammy shrugged and said, "He was teaching me Kendo, I enjoyed it and I might join the team next year."

Ryan said, "Huh." and walked off.

Sammy wasn't sure what to make of that conversation, but he was encouraged by the fact that it didn't involve any name calling.


	14. Taking New Steps

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

Chapter 14 - Taking New Steps

Zoisite saw Jadeite walking up to the group for lunch and asked, "So, are you going to tell us all why you skipped your class last hour?"

Jadeite held up a take out box in front of him and said, "I heard Raye forgot her lunch today, so I ran out to get her one so she wouldn't have to eat the school's food." He smiled over at her to see what her reaction was.

Raye beamed at him and kissed him on the cheek, she was ecstatic, "Thank you Jadeite, that is so sweet of you."

She took the box from his hand and sat down between Jadeite and Amy as the rest of the group started to find their seats. Serena stayed standing and said, "Well, I'm going to go grab a lunch, I forgot mine today too."

She started to head off and Lita stopped her saying, "Wait, I brought more than enough food we can share."

Darien followed Serena and sat down on her other side. He looked up at Jadeite who mouthed the words "I'm sorry," and Darien shrugged in response. He didn't know what to make of the whole situation.

Serena ate from Lita's food and said, "You know, I can't wait until you go to culinary school and I can try all of your homework!"

Lita looked pleased and said, "You think I should go to culinary school? I mean I would love to, but do you think I'm good enough?"

Serena nodded, "I love food, and yours is some of the best! I can't believe you don't already have a plan to go, you have to!" She took another bite of her food and smiled at her.

"But it's a really competitive field, and it would be really hard to get hired in an upscale restaurant. Do you think that I could?" Lita asked nervously.

Serena scoffed, "You will be the head chef at your own restaurant and it will be the most popular one in Tokyo. Ooh! And I will be able to call and just mention my name and get a table any time I want to. It will be awesome!"

Lita chuckled and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Have I ever been wrong about something food related?" Serena asked her with mock seriousness. "Really though, Lita, you are an incredible cook and you should go for it, if it's something you really want. You would have the support of all of your friends and surely that has to mean something."

She beamed at Serena and said, "Well, I will start looking into culinary programs and see what's out there. Don't bring your lunch tomorrow, there is this new recipe I want to attempt and I will bring it for you to try. You can tell me what you think."

Serena cheered and said, "Yes! I can't wait for lunch tomorrow already. It's going to be delicious."

When lunch was over Darien said goodbye to Serena and walked with Jadeite toward their next class. Jadeite said, "If I had known that she forgot her lunch too I would have picked her up something, I could've just billed you like Andrew."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Raye seemed really happy." Darien remarked pretending it was all okay with him.

Jadeite chuckled and said, "Not half as happy as Serena looked when she got to share Lita's lunch."

Darien shrugged and said goodbye and headed into his class. He sat down and wondered how Serena felt about what just happened.

After school Darien met Serena at her locker. She took one look at him and said, "Joke was on Raye today, sure Jadeite got her food from her favorite place, but Lita's food is way better."

"It was from her favorite place?" Darien asked, dejected.

Serena looked puzzled and said, "Yeah… hey, what's wrong?"

"It doesn't bother you that I didn't do something for you?" he asked her.

She scoffed, "If you skipped class to get me food I would be ticked with you. You aren't messing up your grades over something like that."

"It didn't upset you at all that Jadeite went out and bought her lunch and I didn't do the same for you?" he questioned.

She shook her head, "Not in the slightest and I am being honest. We don't have to copy anyone else's relationship. Let's just be us and leave Jadeite out of it."

Darien looked unsure and Serena said, "Why don't we go to the Arcade, you can buy me a delicious chocolate milkshake and you can get a boring coffee. Then you will be even with Jadeite today."

"It isn't a competition." Darien said.

Serena smiled like she won something and agreed, "You're right, it isn't, so stop treating it like one."

"Everyone knows how he feels about her and I don't know if I express my feelings enough." he said.

"I didn't get in this relationship hoping you would change. I knew who you were before we dated, you aren't expressive with your feelings in front of others. I know how you feel about me and that's what's important." she insisted.

"You're special to me." he commented.

"I know, and you make me feel special." She smiled up at him. "I promise you that I feel loved and I feel special. I don't need you to be someone you're not." she insisted.

He nodded, but she could tell he was unconvinced. She changed the subject for now, "So how did it go with Sammy this morning?"

Darien smiled and said, "He is a natural and he's a really hard worker. I was incredibly impressed with him and all of us got along really well. He's been invited back to join us for every morning practice."

Serena beamed and said, "I am so proud of him and thank you for introducing him to it. He would have never known he could do it without you!"

They both jerked their heads towards Amy when they heard her call out to them. She ran up and said, "Darien, you went to the Crystal Academy for cram school like I did right?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, why?"

Amy looked puzzled, "I don't really know, I was trying to talk to someone that I know, she is going there and she completely ignored me this morning. I wrote it off as nothing, but I just said 'Hi" to someone else I know who attends there and they had the same strange look on their face. I don't know what to make of it all." She hesitated and said, "I sound crazy don't I? Nevermind, I'm sure it's nothing."

Serena noticed Luna standing off to the side watching them and she said, "No, Amy I think we should go and see what's up." She turned to Darien and tried to convey a hidden message. "She and I will go check it out. I will see you later."

He gave a slight nod and said, "I will see you soon. Have fun checking everything out."

Serena checked that Luna was following them and then they made their way to the Crystal Academy, when they arrived at the main doors they were let right in. Serena wasn't surprised to find out that Amy was well known there and respected by everyone they met. She was proud of her.

When they walked into the study center they noticed that the students were staring at their screens and an odd green light was glowing on them all.

Amy walked forward and said, "This doesn't look right," and she tried to get the attention of the closest person. She looked nervously at Serena and said, "It didn't work."

Serena stepped back into the hall, checked no one was looking, and said, "Moon Prism Power Make Up," and transformed into Sailor Moon. She then stepped back into the room with the seemingly brainwashed students and noted the teacher had come back into the room. She took one look at Sailor Moon and transformed into a green humanoid monster with long fingernails, pointed teeth, and pointed ears.

Amy shrieked and tried to run for cover, completely unprepared for what was happening in front of her, and watched as Sailor Moon confronted the former teacher. Before Amy was able to get down behind a cubicle wall the monster launched an attack at her. Sailor Moon screamed and her Odango Jewels let off ultrasonic waves that had no effect on the monster. Luckily, Amy was able to duck down right before she was hit by the razor sharp paper the monster had sent at her.

Serena stopped screaming and the monster leveled an attack at her and trapped her against the wall with sticky paper that held her completely immoble. Amy panicked and Luna ran to her once she noticed the Mercury symbol shining on her forehead. She flipped and sent a pen at Amy and commanded her, "Use this right now to transform, say 'Mercury Power Make Up.'"

Amy was completely confused, but yelled, "Mercury Power Make Up!" and transformed into Sailor Mercury and immediately said, "Mercury Aqua Mist!" and a thick mist covered the room and obscured them from view from the monster.

Serena was struggling to get out of the sticky paper when she felt a warmth travel through her body and heard Darien say, "If you want to be tied up we can do that later, let's not do this in the middle of a battle." he then shredded the paper and stepped out of her way.

Serena felt heat travel down her body and she then smirked at him. She then proceeded to pull off her tiara and say, "Moon Tiara Boomerang," as soon as her tiara hit the monster it crumbled and became dust. By the time Amy dropped the mist Tuxedo Mask had disappeared.

Both girls ran into an adjoining room and dropped their transformations before anyone could see them. Amy stood looking at Serena in shock as she said, "You're Sailor Moon?!"

Luna trotted in and said, "Yes she is, and you're Sailor Mercury."

Amy paled and looked at Luna, "You're a talking cat!"

"And you're a superhero, let's accept it and move on." Luna replied calmly.

Serena smiled at Amy encouragingly and said, "We're in this together, don't worry. I am new to this too."

Amy laughed nervously and said, "How is that supposed to make me feel better? You needed to say that you have been doing this for a while and know exactly what to do."

Serena laughed along with her, "Good point. That said, this is my second fight, you might feel worse now."

Amy shrugged, "There isn't anyone I would rather be doing this with. I know we'll protect each other."

Luna spoke up, "There are more Sailor Scouts that I need to find and we also need to find the Moon Princess. You are both her guardians."

Amy looked startled, "There's a Moon Princess?"

"Yes there is," Luna said nodding.

"What does she look like?" Amy asked.

Serena turned her head so no one could see her reaction to what Luna was about to say. Luna replied, "I don't know, but I am sure that I will know her when I see her."

Serena spoke up and said, "Luna, why don't you head home with Amy and fill her in on everything and answer any questions she has. After all you do need to lay low around my place so that my mother doesn't find you."

Luna nodded and hopped on Amy's shoulder and they left the building together.

Serena waited a few minutes after they left and stepped out into the hall and said, "Hello, Darien."

He melted out of a shadow in the hall and walked over to her. "How did you know that I was there?"

She rolled her eyes, "You think that you are the only one who can feel your other half? I can sense you. That fact made it very hot when you rescued me back in that room. My whole body tingled when you were close and barely touching me."

He pulled her up against him and whispered in her ear, "I had to control myself in there, you look so sexy in that uniform you wear, Buns." He ran his hand down her back and it settled very low on her waist, he was about to go lower when he looked up and realized where they were. He let her go and stepped back, "This is probably not the best place to be doing that."

Serena shrugged and said, "I don't know about that, I find the danger of being discovered a turn on," she smiled up at him and widened her eyes, "who knew?"

Darien rubbed his face with his hands, "That's not helping me to curb my reaction to you."

"I wasn't trying to be helpful." she replied saucily. She gave him a seductive look and whispered, "I find it to be a huge turn on to fight alongside you."

Darien looked her in her beautiful blue eyes and said, "You aren't just saying that to get me more on board with you fighting are you?"

She shrugged, "Can't it be both true and an incentive for you?"

Darien spun her around and pushed her up against the wall, pinning her against it and kissed her. He quickly deepened the kiss and pressed himself up against her and he felt her arms wrap around him and pull him to her, removing any space between them.

A few moments later they heard someone clearing their throat behind Darien and they quickly broke apart. They then turned and walked down the hall, not stopping to see who had interrupted them. They then left the building hand in hand laughing and smiling at each other.


	15. Your's

Thank you to my beta SailorMoon489

Chapter 15 - Your's

When Darien arrived in the garden that night there was an odd tint to everything, it almost looked watery. He called out to Endymion, but received no answer, he then decided to walk around and wait for him to show up.

He walked along the winding paths and the flowers bobbed up and down in the gentle breeze that drifted through. He inhaled the smells from the garden and they were intoxicating, just like Serena.

He turned the corner and saw Endymion and shouted to get his attention, sure that he would have heard him, Endymion didn't acknowledge him at all. Darien walked forward and Serena came into view too. Except it wasn't Serena, there were differences between the two. He quickly realized that she must be Princess Serenity, she had silver hair.

Darien paused and watched Endymion approach her and he quickly realized this must be a memory. He was looking into his past with Serena and that was the reason for the discolored surroundings and why Endymion ignored him, he couldn't hear him.

He watched as Endymion spoke to Serenity, "You have a lovely garden here, it's like nowhere on Earth."

She gave him a small smile and said, "I do love it here, I always feel most at home in this garden. I have to admit though… I do love the variety of colors your Earth gardens have too."

"I am glad they please you." he paused speaking and took a tentative half step towards her. "I hope there are other things you like about Earth too."

She blushed and said, "There are many things about Earth I find pleasing. If you are looking for anything in particular you will have to be more specific." She smiled up at him coyly.

He sighed and said, "I was hoping you found me to your liking."

She smiled as she nodded and said, "Yes, you are a very handsome man."

"I am hoping you found me more than just handsome." he pressed.

She gave him a sultry look and said, "Why, am I to your liking?

Darien's eyes widened at Endymion's boldness when he watched him reach out and wrapped an arm around Serenity's waist and pulled her against him and kissed her. He watched as she eagerly returned the kiss. She slid her hand up and grasped Endymion's hair and lightly tugged on it illisting a low growl from him and he started kissing up her neck and nibbling at her ear.

Endymion said to her, "I have watched you from across the table all through negotiations and I can't stand it anymore. You are amazing, please say you will be mine? In the past I had questioned what was wrong with me, I never desired anyone and then I saw you and it was like everything came into focus. I was waiting for you and you are all I will ever want." He began taking little nips at her neck and she arched her back and pressed herself into him.

Serenity moaned and said, "I have watched you too and it is like I feel electricity passing between us. My body can't help but respond to you every time I am around you. I am yours and I will not share you with anyone, I am glad that I am all you desire. Kiss me again."

He claimed her mouth and kissed her passionately and pressed his body tightly up against hers. "Surely we can go somewhere we can't be discovered. I don't want to get caught by your guardians, or your mother."

"I have a place we can go, follow me." She took his hand and she quickly led him away.

Darien woke up groaning. He couldn't wait to pick Serena up for school today, he felt the overwhelming desire to be kissing her. He got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, he knew it was time for a cold shower.

Darien pulled up to Serena's house to pick her up and knocked on the door. Her mother answered and was smiling at him and invited him in. She then proceeded to ask him about his latest test scores and how much his sports car cost him.

By the time the both got in his car Serena was beat red and thoroughly embarrassed. "I can't believe she looked up how much your car must have cost you. I am so sorry for what she said back there."

Darien looked her in the eyes and caressed her cheek and said, "Serena, She's the woman who said all of those awful things to you. You can't believe anything she says to me now will out do that or scare me away."

She shrugged and said, "You have the choice not to deal with her. Dating me brought her into your life."

He shook his head and said, "We are fated to be together even before our first life, don't insult me by voicing the idea that your mother can scare me away."

She picked up his hand and placed his palm on her cheek and said, "I won't mention it again. I love you and thank you for the way you handled my mother."

"I really want to kiss you right now," he said sighing.

"So, kiss me." she replied.

He took his hand back and rubbed his face in his hands, "My nightly trip to the garden was a memory this time. I saw the first time we started dating. Endymion was a lot bolder than I was and he kissed her in ways that gave me all sort of ideas." he left it at that.

She gave him a sultry look and said, "I am very interested in these ideas of yours, I think we may need to explore them." She ran her fingers along his bicep.

He nodded at her and said, "Outside of your house in my car isn't the best place to do that though."

She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips and said, "I guess that will have to do," she raised an eyebrow at him and added, "for now."

He chuckled and said, "Apparently, you are bold in both lives."

She shrugged and said, "I just can't resist you, you have those wonderful eyes and all of those sexy muscles. What chance do I stand against that?"

"I have never wanted to skip school until this moment right here." he looked torn.

Serena said, "We can go to your place after school and study together all alone. I would hate to be the reason you start skipping school. I don't want to be a bad girl." she winked at him.

"Now I need another cold shower." he sighed.

Serena looked at him and asked, "Another?" Darien nodded and pulled away from the curb to drive her to school. She just smirked. "You know we get it all don't you. We are destined soulmates, we have been together for two lives. It just makes me wish you were my first date."

He pulled over to the curb quickly and said, "I wasn't your first date?"

She looked sheepish, "No, but you were my first kiss, and technically we haven't been out on a date yet. You are my first boyfriend however."

"I am taking you out for dinner tonight, the last date you went on isn't going to be with someone else." he stated definitively. He pulled away from the curb and continued to drive to school.

"Dinner sounds great." Serena added, "I have only had real feelings for you."

He sighed, "Can we not talk about this? You went on a date and I can't complain since we weren't together. It just surprised me because I thought I would have heard about it from Andrew."

"I didn't tell him, who tells their pseudo brother they have a date?" she cringed at the idea. "We went on one date, he asked me out again, and I said no. I spent the whole night comparing him to you, and he was left lacking in every way."

"Well that worked better than a cold shower."

Serena looked upset and said, "I wasn't really even interested in him. I was flattered that he asked me out. I didn't hold his hand even though he tried. He wrote me a poem and asked me out again and I said no. It was you I wanted the whole time."

"It's news to me and I am adjusting." He said defensively.

She didn't believe him, they pulled into the school and she opened her own door and got out. "I am heading to class. I had no idea you were even interested in dating anyone and I said yes in a time of weakness." She stomped off.

He looked over and saw Zoisite staring at him and Darien asked, "Did you know she went out on a date with someone?"

Zoisite shook his head, "So you wanted her to have never dated before you, but you waited until senior year to ask her out?"

Darien said, "That's not fair!"

"You're right it's not." he deadpanned. "She is yours now, what's your problem?"

"She's mine! No one else's." Darien stated. "You don't get it, we are meant for each other."

Zoisite scoffed, "It is obvious. I don't know how I know it, but it's clear as day that you both belong together. I have a feeling one day you will explain it to me."

Darien nodded and sighed, "I am an ass, aren't I."

Zoisite nodded and said, "Do you really doubt her?"

"No, never. I made her feel like didn't I?" Darien deflated.

"Yup."

"Thank you. I will apologize to her."

"Good, now let's run to class we're close to being late." They both took off running.

Serena sighed and packed up her bag, it was lunchtime and she didn't have the energy to act like everything was okay. She was tired after fighting that monster with Amy yesterday. She walked out her class door and came face to face with Darien, well face to chest.

He nervously asked, "Can we talk before we head to lunch?" She nodded and he led the way to a quiet corner. He said, "You were right, I got jealous over nothing. I am sorry. I do trust what we have, really. I just spent so much time worried that all my feelings were one sided that finding out you went on a date brought back my insecurities. You're amazing, kind, sweet, you defend your friends fiercely, you're beautiful, you have the biggest heart I have ever seen. I just feel lacking next to you."

"You're kidding me right? You get perfect grades, you got accepted into the top university in your field, you are going to be a famous doctor. I get better grades than I used to and I can get into university, but I will struggle." she pointed out.

"And yet you are all I really desire in my life. What is a life of achievements if I don't have love, if I don't have you?" he asked her.

Her face softened, she smiled and she raised her hand to her heart, "And yesterday you were worried that you weren't expressive enough with your feelings. That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard."

"Will you forgive me for getting upset this morning that you went on a date?" he queried.

She nodded and said, "I forgive you. Just believe me when I say that you are it for me, and I knew that before I even heard about us being soulmates. I have known for a while that if we ever dated that there would be no going back for me, you would be it. I was scared because I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way." She smiled up into his blue eyes and said, "I am overjoyed that you do feel the same."

He slid his hand down her arm and laced their fingers together and said, "Always and forever." He gave her a slight tug and they headed off to join their friends for lunch.

At the end of the day Serena walked out smiling with Darien and then she noticed what was going on and her mood changed quickly, now she wanted to crawl under a rock. There was Nephrite playing a song for Lita by Seiya on guitar, and of course it had to be that song. Serena froze and her hand slipped from Darien's, he stopped and turned back to see what was wrong. He looked puzzled at her and then he noticed Mina, Molly, and Raye were all laughing and he turned his attention to them.

Lita was crying happy tears and laughing and Nephrite stopped playing mid song. He asked, "Okay, I am missing out on something here. I found a romantic song that's perfect for asking you out and you girls are all laughing except Serena who just looks horrified."

Lita smiled and said, "First, that was so sweet and I will go out with you."

All of the girls nodded and Raye said, "It just had to be that song though, that's too funny."

"I think I need to be filled in on what I am missing here." Nephrite said.

Serena sighed and said, "I think that is where I step in." She turned to Darien and said, "I told you the guy I went on one date with wrote me a poem. Well, he turned it into a song and that was it."

Kunzite laughed and said, "The guy you went on a date with was the pop star, Sieya? Wow, that's…" he trailed off when he noticed Darien was glaring at him.

Nephrite's shoulders slumped, "I asked Lita out with a song written to her best friend."

"And it worked," Mina said laughing, "At least the song worked for someone. Serena turned him down after he wrote that for her."

"How is this my life!" Serena whined.

She grabbed Darien's hand and drug him away towards the car and yelled back to Lita, "I am glad you are both dating!"

She marched Darien over to the car and she paused at her door and waited for him to open it for her. She got in and by the time he had gotten in the car she had two buttons undone on her blouse.

"What are you doing?" he asked puzzled.

Serena looked him straight in the eye and said, "I am being myself, something I couldn't be around him." She then tossed her bag behind her and faced the front. "Drive, I want to go to your place. I spent too much time depressed and worrying over you not having feelings for me to the point where I went out with a guy just because he was famous and I was flattered. That's not me. I am going to enjoy being me with the man I am in love with. I am going to flirt and laugh and do everything that I sat at home at night depressed over because I thought it would never happen. You're mine and I am going to show you that and I am not ever letting go."

Darien swallowed hard and put his car in drive. "You look really sexy right now, you're flushed after that speech and you look hot with your top buttons undone."

She smiled at him and said, "You have no idea how long I have waited to see you look at me the way you are right now."

He made it back to his apartment in record time after that. He then opened his door and kicked it closed after they both raced into his apartment. He pressed her up against the wall by the door and looked down at her and said, "I have a really good view from up here. I am really liking being so much taller than you." He ran his finger down her neck slowly and felt her pulse pounding, he then traced her collarbone and slid down to her sternum. He hesitated there and waited for her reaction. He watched her chest rise and fall and heard a gentle moan. He then slid his hand down and caressed the mound of her breast with the back of his fingers.

"I'm yours," she whispered, breathing hard.

Darien nodded, "All mine." he replied back as he continued to stroke the exposed area of her breasts.

He then slid his hand over her collarbone and up the back of her neck and pulled her into a heated kiss. He knew he was pushing them further than they had gone before and he knew he needed to slow it down a little. He pulled her away from the wall and backed her up to the couch and sat down and pulled her next to him. He tasted her and nibbled at her and got so many beautiful moans out of her. He eventually pulled back and they were both gasping for air.

Once she began to catch her breath she said, "Wow." and smiled up at him and tucked her feet under her on the couch.

He caressed her cheek and said, "Feel free to be yourself around me anytime."

She shifted and laid in his arms, "I always feel safe to be myself around you. You know things now about me that no one else does, it feels amazing."

"I love you."

"I love you too, gum drop."

"Veto."

That night when he made it to the moon he met with Endymion. "You're right, it's incredible to be loved by her." Darien stated. "I have a question about her brother."

"Her brother?" Endymion asked puzzled, she is an only child.

"She has a brother in this lifetime." Darien informed him. "He is incredibly talented at Kendo, it simulates using a sword. I wondered if he is like my generals at all."

"I knew her best friend her and Senshi were reborn, but you will need to tell me more about her brother if you think he is reincarnated too. I might be able to identify him." he stated clearly interested in this new development.

"He's really smart, he doesn't actually look a whole lot like her, he has a deep desire to protect her, and like I said he's a natural with Kendo." Darien explained.

"I had a brother, he was younger and idolized me and he adored Serenity. He loved that she brought a kinder man out of our father. She almost acted like a mother to him. He had brown hair and a cherub face. He was killed coming to our father's aid by Beryl before she attacked the moon." Endymion gave a small smile. "If he has been reborn that would bring me so much joy. I didn't think it was possible."

"It sounds like it might be him. Can you show me a memory with him in it?" Darien asked.

Endymion nodded and said, "I will show you my brother Arcas when he was here on the moon with Serenity."

Darien noticed that the tint of everything changed and it seemed as if he was looking through water again. He turned and saw Princess Serenity standing twenty feet away and smiling. He followed her gaze and saw Sammy walk over to her.

"Arcas," she said. "I am so glad that you could come along with your brother. Do you like it here?"

"I do! It is incredible to see the gardens here. They look so different from ours on Earth." he replied.

She smiled at him and said, "Have you enjoyed sword practice with Sailor Venus? She said you are quite good."

Arcas blushed and said, "I have enjoyed it, she's taught me a lot. Kunzite is very lucky to have her, she is quite pretty."

"I heard she also defeated you." she said laughing.

He shrugged, "It's as you say, she's very gifted with a sword."

Serenity nodded at him and said, "I am honored you came here to meet me. Your brother is very important to me and I find I agree with him completely regarding his opinion of you. You are everything a brother should be."

Arcas smiled at her and added, "And one day you will be able to call me brother too."

She blushed and said, "Your brother has not asked me to marry him. You can't assume things."

He rolled his eyes, "It would take a great fool not to realize that he is absolutely in love with you. I am sorry if I spoke out of turn though. You have been so good for our family that I just got excited."

She smiled and said, "You have no idea how much joy it brings me that you would accept me as a sister. Thank you."

The watery look dissolved and Endymion stepped into his line of sight. "Well?"

Darien smiled, "Your brother Arcas has been reborn, his name is Sammy now."

"That pleases me, he died so young. I am glad he gets a second chance to and that he gets to be Serenity's brother this time around. In this lifetime he was there for her when we were not." he said smiling.

Darien walked over to the flower bed and plucked a white flower that looked like it was dripping with tiny white stars and said, "Now I have to go and teach your brother Kendo - our brother? It still gets confusing."

Endymion looked at him and said, "Even though he was reborn in her family he's still yours."

Darien woke up and picked up the flower and placed it in the cup beside his bed and began to get ready for his day.


	16. Discovering The Truth

Chapter 16 - Discovering The Truth

Darien pulled Serena aside before lunch and said, "After school I need to tell you something that I found out last night. We can head over afterwards to the temple to meet everyone at Raye's.

She smiled up at him and nodded and said, "I would like that, can we go to your place?"

He nodded and as they headed over to the group she stopped him, "Just so you know Mina is telling everyone about my mother tonight, I didn't want to be the one to do it. Also, Amy and I are meeting up tomorrow morning to talk about being Sailor Scouts."

"That all sounds like a good plan. I will be there right next to you tonight when she tells everyone." he laced their fingers together and squeezed her hand. She appreciated the support he was giving her.

They walked and joined their group of friends, it felt so natural and Serena loved how life had brought them all together.

Nephrite was sitting next to Lita and she fed him some food she had brought for him. "You're such a great cook." He turned and looked at Serena and said, "That brother of yours is something else. I swear he is advancing even faster than I was at his age and it isn't just my expert teaching."

Serena beamed at him and said, "I am so glad to hear that! He was so excited to go this morning with you all. He enjoys being one of the guys. Thanks for treating him like an equal." she told them.

Zoisite shrugged and said, "It isn't as much treating him as an equal as it is granting him the respect he's earned. He works hard and doesn't whine, even Jadeite can't manage that."

Jadeite lifted up his head and said, "Hey! I was minding my business over here!"

"And how is your hangnail?" Kunzite asked.

Jadeite replied, "It hurts!" Raye picked up his hand and kissed it better. He looked at them all smirking. "It feels so much better now."

Zoisite rolled his eyes, "Back to what I was saying. I like having Sammy around, he fits in well."

All of the guys nodded and Kunzite added, "He's like a little brother to all of us, he's great."

Serena's eyes misted up, "I am so glad to hear that!" She looked at Mina and she was beaming too.

Darien knew it was because the girls shared the secret of what was happening at Serena's home. They were both glad that he had such a good thing in his life. He knew it would just get better once Serena heard the rest of the story and knew how much Sammy was a natural with the guys. He was one of them after all.

Molly stood and said, "I will see you all tonight at Raye's. I have to go grab something before my next class."

They all said goodbye and Serena smirked. Darien whispered into her ear, "Why are you smirking?"

"I think she is sneaking off to see someone she likes. I don't know why it's a secret, but I will let her keep it. For now." she giggled.

He shook his head and said, "I wouldn't want to try to hide anything from you. I have a feeling you have ways to find things out."

She whispered in his ear, "I have a talking cat. I can probably talk her into trailing Molly."

"You're devious."

She gave him a wry smile and said, "You already told me you like that about me."

"Touche." he responded.

They soon all packed up from lunch and grabbed their things and headed off to class.

After school Darien met Serena at her locker and he took her bag from her and they headed to her car. Once they climbed in he asked, "How are things going with Luna?"

"She criticizes me every chance she gets. She lacks the cruelty of my mother so she is easy to ignore. I doubt that there is anything that I could do to make her happy. Well, maybe if I just constantly fought the bad guys and stayed away from Tuxedo Mask."

"Wait, she wants you to stay away from Tuxedo Mask? He helped you." he was puzzled.

She rolled her eyes, "According to her I need to realize he is only after the Moon Princess."

"Well, in that case she's right," he reached over and stroked her cheek. "I am only here for the Moon Princess." he said while he smirked at her.

She laughed and said, "Good point, but you aren't a risk to me so I think I will ignore her and spend as much time with him as I want."

"I will probably have to be careful about flirting with you when you are Sailor Moon, unless we want to tell people who I am." he said.

Serena paused in thought, "I didn't even think about the fact that they would think I was cheating on you." She let out a low whine, "I have a hot superhero for a boyfriend and I don't even get the benefits of it." She huffed and stared out the window of the car.

He shook his head and said, "I don't know about that. I mean is there a rule that we can only be our alter egos when we are fighting?"

She gave him a heated look and said, "Love muffin, you're brilliant."

"Veto." He shook his head. He then said. "I have to admit I really like your uniform and wouldn't mind seeing you in it more."

"Noted, it seems like you also said we would train together." she reminded him.

He thought about that and said, "How about tomorrow after you are finished talking with Amy. I'll do my homework in the morning and then we can work on some basic moves at my place."

"Oh, I'm loving that idea. I will bring something to train in." she winked at him.

They arrived at Darien's building and as soon as they entered his apartment Serena threw off her shoes and took off running and laughing through his living room and into his bedroom.

He followed her into his bedroom and asked, "What are you doing in here?" He was perplexed as to what she was doing.

"I wanted to be able to picture you sleeping. You have a huge bedroom!" She looked at his nightstand and saw the flowers and the photo of her. "When did you get that photo of me. I don't remember it."

He looked sheepish and said, "I was staring at you after Jadeite asked out Raye and you looked so lovely. You were just so full of life and happiness, Kunzite noticed and took the picture for me. I printed it out right after that and got it framed."

She smiled at him and walked over and kissed his cheek. "You already had a photo of me before you asked me out. I was a little sad that you hadn't asked for a picture for your place. And here you already had this one on your nightstand. It makes me really happy."

"I wish you had said something."

She rolled her eyes, "The point was for you to want one." She turned her focus to the flowers, "Are these the flowers that you bring back from your nightly trips?"

Darien nodded and said, "This is all of them."

She reached out and touched one and it closed up into a tight bud and then slowly opened up again. "That is incredible."

"They are from your garden on the Moon." he said.

She smiled up at him and he grew nervous and scratched the back of his head. He said, "Um… Can we go back to the living room? I am trying to behave here, maybe we shouldn't be standing near my bed."

She shrugged and said, "I guess we could go." She smiled back at him as she headed out of his room. Meanwhile he tried to remember why he insisted she leave. Oh, yea. He needed to talk about her brother.

She sat on the couch and smiled up at him. "Okay, what did you want to tell me."

"I had some suspicions about Sammy, he fits in too well and he is a natural at Kendo. I talked to Endymion last night." He shook his head and smiled at her. "You won't believe this, but he is reincarnated too. His name was Arcas."

Her head shot up and she stared at him, "Was he my brother back then too?"

Darien shook his head, "No, you were an only child, he was my brother. I think that's why the guys feel like he fits in so easily. He would have been a Prince of Earth and they would have known him well. I was shown a memory of the two of you interacting, he was a great brother back then too. He looked forward to becoming your brother also."

Serena was left speechless and that was not something that she could remember happening to her before. Her jaw had dropped as the implications of what he said ran through her mind. "Your brother. That means… What does that mean?"

"That means he is the closest thing to blood family I have on this earth for the time being." he stated.

"For the time being?" she asked.

He smiled at her and said, "Eventually we will marry and have children."

She blushed and said, "You haven't asked me to marry you. We can't assume things."

He chuckled and said, "You said something very similar to Arcas when he called you sister before we were even engaged."

"I am glad to hear that he accepted me."

"You have always been you." Darien stated. "It feels like I just saw a version of this conversation play out last night."

"What does this mean for Sammy?" she asked.

He said, "It doesn't change any of my plans for him. It just explains why it feels so natural to be around him. I already liked him, I just now know why, besides the fact that he is a great kid."

"I am so relieved to have your help with him. I know I would have had it even if you didn't find out he is your brother." she stated.

"You are right of course." He picked up her hand and drew more of her focus and asked, "Are you going to be okay tonight?"

"I am. I don't want pity and I don't want anger, but I can't control them." she said.

"Why wouldn't you want them angry at your mother?"

She shook her head, "No, at me. I don't want them angry that I didn't tell them."

"We can't control their initial reaction, but I will step in if they are out of line." She was about to speak and he shook his head. "I won't watch them hurt you too. Let me protect you here."

She sighed and nodded. "Fine, but let them voice their opinions please. I need to know how they feel."

He pulled her close and held her and kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

He closed his eyes and he suddenly saw Serenity quickly walking away from him in a garden that looked to be on Earth this time. He noticed her and walked towards her and shouted out, "Stop! I won't hurt you." She paused and she looked back and said, "I am sorry. I shouldn't be here." She looked as if she were about to flee and he said, "What's your name? I'm Endymion." She hesitated and said, "Serenity. Please forget me though." She then took three steps and disappeared.

He opened his eyes and Serena was staring at him. "What just happened I couldn't get your attention it was like you weren't here."

He looked startled and said, "I just slipped into a memory. I think it was the first time Endymion met Serenity. We were in a garden on Earth." He rubbed his hand over his face. "That's never happened to me before. I was in Endymion's place this time and was not watching from the third person." He noticed Serena seemed upset, "What's wrong Buns?"

"What if you remember Serenity and you like her better than me?" she asked.

He shook his head definitively, "Not possible."

"Why? How can you say that?" she wondered.

"I already know you are stronger than her. You are aware of Beryl and you choose to fight. There is no way she could be better than the fierce woman before me." he told her.

She shook her head, "I don't feel very fierce."

"Feelings can lie to you, they are fickle. You're fierce, that's fact and that is what you should believe." he kissed her forehead and pulled her close and held her. "You are what I want and any version of you that isn't exactly this is a lesser version."

She sniffed and wiped a tear away from her cheek, "You say the most wonderful things to me."

"They are all true." He leaned down and kissed her. He then drew her attention to the time. "We should head over."

They pulled up in his car and got out and made their way up the steps of the temple. They arrived at Raye's and they noticed everyone was there already. As soon as Serena stepped into the room all of the girls rushed her and wrapped her in a hug. Darien smiled at their antics.

Mina spoke up from the group hug and said, "I told them all to come earlier. I let them know what was going on before you got here. I figured that it wasn't talking behind your back since you knew that I would be telling them. I hoped it would be easier for you if you weren't here when I told them."

Darien looked over at Kunzite and said, "Mina is amazing. If you don't ask her out soon you are a moron."

"I asked her out two hours ago." Kunzite bragged.

Darien gave him a serious look and said, "Did she say yes?"

"Of course she said yes!" Kunzite yelled. "I'm charming."

Serena beamed at Mina and said, "Thank you for taking care of me and I am so happy for you and Kunzite."

"Crap!" Zoisite said. "Now I'm the last one to ask. How did I miscalculate that?!"

Amy looked up completely shocked, and blushed.

"Amy, will you be my girlfriend? I adore you." Zoisite stated.

Everyone looked at Amy. She nodded and said, "Yes." Then she blushed with all of the attention.

Raye laughed and said, "Now we just have to figure out who Molly is sneaking off to see."

"You noticed me sneaking off?" Molly asked.

Raye announced, "Raise your hand if you noticed her sneaking off to meet up with someone."

Everyone but Andrew raised their hand, Darien said, "To be fair Serena told me."

"So who is it?" Raye asked. "Is it Melvin?"

"No!" Molly said quickly. She then buried her face in her hands. "It isn't what you think."

Andrew sighed and then spoke, "I was able to get a hold of Rita at University after school today. She is back from that dig she went on. She knows it's over. She was calling to tell me the same thing."

Molly nodded, "I wasn't sneaking off to see a guy. I was trying to get away from one. Andrew and I have grown to have feelings for each other and I refuse to be the other woman. I would walk off when it got to be too much."

Serena grew distressed and hugged Molly, "I am so sorry you were suffering on your own."

"I could say the same thing to you." she replied.

Serena nodded and asked, "Are you okay?"

She nodded tentatively and looked up at Andrew. "What does it mean that you both ended things?"

He walked towards her and said, "It means that I am free to tell you my feelings without guilt. Molly, I am crazy about you. Please give me a chance. I know I pursued you when I should have ended things with her first, I felt stuck because I couldn't get a hold of her. Please believe me that I have learned how wrong that was. You deserved to be treated better than that. I should have just waited and done things the right way."

She nodded and said, "Andrew, I will be your girlfriend." She then smiled at him and Serena stepped back so he could hug her.

Mina said, "So we're all coupled up. How funny is that?"

Darien knew he had another question for Endymion that night.

Everyone settled down and once they were all seated the topic of Serena's mother came up. Raye asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Serena said, "I will live with Mina once I graduate. I am worried about Sammy though."

Nephrite smiled and said, "So you haven't told her your plan yet Darien?"

"No, I didn't want to get her hopes up. I think it will be difficult to pull off." he sighed and looked at Serena. "You're going to make me tell you aren't you?"

She just nodded.

He gave in and said, "I have an office right now and I can move my desk into my bedroom. The ideal situation would be for Sammy to move into that room and share an apartment with me."

All of the girls stared at Darien. Serena smirked and said, "Beat that girls. I have the most amazing boyfriend."

Nephrite sighed and said, "The worst thing is that I brought this on myself. I should have just kept my mouth shut."

Darien chuckled and said, "You're not wrong."

Later that night Darien spoke with Endymion. "I had what I could only describe as a flashback, of what I assume was the first time you saw Serenity today. I was sitting on the couch with Serena and then all of the sudden I was in a garden, it looked to be on Earth."

"You are beginning to remember on your own now. Good." Endymion said.

"No, not good. Serena couldn't get my attention, it's not safe. If I am going to have these memories then I am at least going to need to control them." he stated.

Endymion sighed, "My guess was you were holding Serena at the time?"

Darien nodded and said, "Yes, I was holding her and I had just told her that I love her."

"Your memory was probably triggered by her proximity. How are you doing with activating your Golden Crystal?" he asked.

"I am struggling to work with it. I try, but I don't really know what I am searching for inside of me." Darien said.

"Next time you are in a memory try and feel the Golden Crystal, if I am right it will be easier to access. Then you will have a better handle on what you are trying to locate." Endymion suggested to him.

Darien nodded, "I will try that. One other thing. The Senshi, the Generals and our best friends are all coupled up, is that the way it was in the past?"

Endymion chuckled, "Yes, that was the way it was thousands of years ago during my time, for the most part. My best friend, the one you call Andrew, was married when he met Serenity's best friend. He was broken-hearted when she denied him and married someone else. I don't know what he expected from her. I am glad he has a second chance to meet her and fall in love." He shook his head, "His wife was a shrew, she was a cousin to Beryl."

Darien was confused, "Why did he marry her then?"

"She was beautiful and she entranced him. Once they were married he discovered that her beauty didn't penetrate the surface." he replied. "Hardly the first man to fall for a woman and only see her outer beauty. We are lucky that we have a woman of great beauty and great character."

Darien couldn't agree more.


	17. Being A Sailor Scout

Chapter 17 - Being A Sailor Scout

"It's hard to believe that it was a week ago Friday when you told us you were interested in Darien." Amy smiled at her and added, "And you were so sure he wasn't interested in you."

Serena laughed and replied, "Boy, was I wrong!" She paused and looked at Amy, "Zoisite was so cute and funny last night asking you out. I think you both are perfect together."

Amy blushed, "I agree. Later he told me that he thinks I look even sexier when I am studying, and he asked to study together soon."

"What a good thing for him to find sexy, you will be doing lots of studying to become a doctor." Serena pointed out.

Amy changed the subject away from just herself, "So, we're Sailor Scouts. That's weird right? I mean we have to find a Moon Princess, protect her, and battle the evil forces. Why us?"

Right then it dawned on Serena that it would be hard to keep her identity a secret. She didn't like lying to her friends and she was going to have to right now. She wondered if she could set it up in a way that would make it easier to tell Amy later. There may be a way to say it where she would understand Serena's reasoning. "What do you think of the Moon Princess? I mean that would be a weird thing to be too, right?"

"I guess. I don't know how I would feel about being protected by two teenage girls who just found out who they were." Amy said. "I'm not sure I can even protect myself!"

"Don't forget there's Tuxedo Mask too." Serena pointed out to her.

Amy looked at Serena and said, "Luna mentioned him, she said he showed up at the first battle and that we can't trust him."

Serena rolled her eyes, "He showed up and distracted Morga when she was about to get me, drawing her attention to himself, and giving me time to defeat her. I don't agree with her opinion on him at all. You'll have to see for yourself next time he shows up." She knew Amy was a rational, fair minded person and trusted her to look at the situation objectively.

Amy nodded and said, "As for Luna she said she was going to go look for the Princess. I wonder when she'll be back."

"Hopefully before the next battle, you seem to have no problem with using your attacks, but with mine I seem to be clueless about them." she stopped herself from telling Amy she planned to train with Darien. She didn't want to explain how he knew yet. She wasn't sure what she would say about him to her.

"I am sure it just takes practice," Amy encouraged. "So, this Beryl person is looking for the Princess too. How do we hide her once we find her?"

Serena shrugged and said, "I disagree with Luna on this too. I think the princess is safer if we leave her be and let her stay in hiding."

"Do you think she knows she is the princess already?! Luna acted like she needed to tell her." Amy asked.

Serena tried not to roll her eyes, "Luna also doesn't know what she even looks like. It seems like she is missing a lot of important information."

"So you see that too? I don't want to say anything bad about Luna, but 'I'll know her when I see her' doesn't sound very encouraging. Maybe the princess knows who she is and she is keeping out of Beryl's way already. It seems silly to announce that we have her." Amy reasoned.

"I agree with you. I don't think we should be trying to expose her to the enemy. Right now let's just make sure we are keeping everyone safe. It's scary that Beryl is having people drained of energy for some dark purpose. She has to be stopped."

"I completely agree." Amy said, "I will also reserve judgement on Tuxedo Mask and see for myself how he acts at the battles." She paused and pulled out a handheld computer, "Check this out! Luna gave me this. It is a Mercury computer and it's amazing. It can do all sorts of calculations and it is programmed to search for evil energy and alert us to attacks. How neat is that?!"

Serena smiled and said, "You will definitely look sexy to Nephrite using that!"

Amy deflated, "Luna says we can't tell anyone. How are we going to hide this from our boyfriends?"

Serena paused and thought about her response. She couldn't fathom keeping it a secret from Darien and Nephrite was Amy's love in two lifetimes also. Darien had called and told her that morning. She was still a little that mad that he woke her up that early on a Saturday. "So, we don't tell Luna." she said. "I think you two are meant to be and you can't start out a relationship like that with a lie. Tell him who you are and tell him to keep it a secret. He won't be happy that you are fighting, but transform and kick his butt and show him how powerful you are. Also, the Senshi Fuku are really sexy, I bet he'll love it."

Amy looked unsure, "Do you really think I should? Luna said…"

"Luna isn't in a relationship with Zoisite, you are. I told Darien, you won't be the first to break her rule. And he thinks I look hot in the uniform." Serena smirked. She decided that much information on what Darien was aware of would help Amy to be bold and tell Zoisite.

"He knows?!" Amy said. "How did he react?"

"He's not really happy with me putting myself in danger, but he accepts my need to do it." she told Amy truthfully.

"Isn't that breaking the first rule of being a superhero? They never tell their loved ones in the movies." Amy pointed out.

Serena nodded, "You are right. And then their loved ones get kidnapped by the bad guys and they have no clue why. This way they have a chance to keep themselves safe."

Amy grew quiet and thought about that. "I guess that makes sense, and I really don't want to lie to him. Okay, I'll tell him soon."

"Just make sure you pull out your Mercury computer too when you show him. That should drive him wild." Serena smirked.

Amy blushed and nodded, "I will. That's a good idea."

Serena changed the subject a bit, "Luna said there are more of us. It will be nice to have a bigger group to fight evil. Don't get me wrong, I love fighting with you, but having more can only help."

"I completely agree!" Amy announced to her. "I just wonder who they could be."

"I have a feeling we will be finding out soon. I found you pretty quickly after all." Serena said.

That afternoon Serena showed up at Darien's door and had just finished knocking when the door opened and he ushered her in. Once he fully looked at her his eyes just about popped out of his head.

Darien slowly looked her over appraisingly. The heat from his gaze gave her goosebumps and she felt incredibly sexy. She walked forward into his living room and then spun around to face him playfully and said, "Well, are you ready to show me some self defense moves?"

Darien shook his head, "With you in short shorts and that sports bra, the last thing I want you to do is push me away."

"So you like this?" She asked, motioning to her body.

He nodded and locked eyes with her and advanced on her. "Damn it Serena, I'm not going to be able to train you when you look like this, I'm a teenage guy after all."

"A teenage guy who is dating me and allowed to touch me." she countered.

He rubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them to his sides and sighed. He looked at her and said, "Oh well, I tried." He then picked her up and deposited her on the couch. He laid her down with her head on the armrest and he laid over her.

She smiled up at him and said, "You seem to still be under the mistaken belief that I don't want you as much as you want me." She smiled up at him.

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her, deepening it quickly and tasting her. She moaned into his kiss and he rocked himself up against her core. She let out a moan and melted into his body. He then launched himself up off of her, backing up until there was more than enough space between them.

She looked at him puzzled, "What happened?"

"What happened was me trying to control myself before I pushed things too far. Buns, we haven't been dating that long. I know it's us together, forever, but I want to get to know you better. I could easily get distracted learning your body when it is you that I really need to learn more about." he answered.

"Maybe I should wear something different next time," she said earnestly.

He shook his head, "Let's not go overboard here. I am a big fan of what you are wearing." He walked over and kissed her shoulder. "See, I can look and touch you without getting carried away. Teaching you self defense will be fun." He gave her a smoldering look.

After an hour and a half Darien had taught her quite a bit about self defense and had stolen a lot of kisses and touches along the way.

Serena pulled out her water bottle and took a drink and stretched as a cool off from the lesson.

Darien smiled at her and asked, "How did it go with Amy? I am sure it wasn't easy on you to hold back information."

Serena nodded and sighed, "It wasn't. I hope she understands why I kept it a secret that I am the Moon Princess. You said our friends are reincarnated, that makes Mina, Lita, Ray and Amy my Senshi right?"

Darien nodded, "Got it in one."

"Now I just have to figure out how to get Luna to give each of them their transformation pens and not let on how I know it's them." she sighed.

He walked over and wrapped her in his arms, "I will be there for you through all of this. Don't worry Buns."

"I know, boo bear."

"Veto." he chuckled. "I just don't know how I am supposed to pretend to be ignorant of everything."

"You just have to pretend in front of Luna, Amy and I plan on going behind her back and telling you and Zoisite. Expect a call from him once she tells him. He surely won't be happy with her fighting." she told him.

Darien rubbed her back, "So you are already being insubordinate."

"Hey, I am in charge," she paused and then added, "Luna just doesn't know it yet. It is my call to make since I am the Princess."

"I am glad that she is telling him, he deserves to know the truth. He won't betray her either. It was crazy talking to Endymion last night, history is repeating itself. Everyone is coupled up like they were thousands of years ago." he was astounded.

Serena smiled and said, "I am so glad. I was a little upset for Molly last night, you skipped over the story about her and Andrew this morning."

"That's because someone was cranky when I woke her up." he smiled at her. "It seems like that is repeating itself too, Andrew was married when he met her and she denied him and married someone else. She has the strength to not be the other woman in two lifetimes. Get this, Andrew was married to Beryl's cousin. Apparently she was incredibly pretty - on the outside."

Serena laughed and said, "I take it that she wasn't pretty on the inside too."

Darien nodded. "So what is the story we are going with? How much do I know about you being a Sailor Scout?"

"Stick with the basics, I'm sure his main focus will be having to stand on the sidelines while she risks herself." she said.

Darien thought a moment and said, "I should ask Endymion how to activate, is that even the right word, my generals. They should have some powers too. That way they can help you against Beryl."

"That would be really helpful. It would be harder to hide who I am, but I think I would rather have help. It would be safer to have more people to fight against Beryl." She thought about it all for a bit. "I will be living with Mina eventually, she will probably have to be told who I am."

"I have a feeling you will just have to convince her like you did me and she will keep your secret." Darien said.

Serena started laughing, "I can't see her being convinced by my sexy outfit."

"That isn't what convinced me, you had a good argument as to why you wanted it kept a secret. The outfit would still exist even if I didn't agree to keep quiet." Darien pointed out.

That night Darien learned from Endymion that his generals could have their power restored with the use of his Golden Crystal. The next morning he woke up and spent thirty minutes trying to call on its power with no success. He desperately wanted to be able to get Serena more help and to better protect her.


	18. Moving Out

Chapter 18 - Moving Out

After breakfast Darien had a persistent ache in his chest and he started to grow concerned. He quickly found himself pacing his living room in a state of agitation, he didn't know what it could mean. A general feeling of distress grew inside of him and as it continued to grow it seemed to radiate off of him. He finally decided to sit on the couch and close his eyes, he tried to focus on his Golden Crystal. This time he was able to locate it in his chest and feel some of the power radiating through him. He took deep measured breaths and felt his chest rise and fall with each one. He felt the Golden Crystal's energy swell a little inside of him and he heard Serena crying. All of the sudden his eyes shot open, he jumped up and that broke the connection that he felt to the energy coursing through him. He instantly began gathering his things, he just knew he needed to get to her.

Suddenly he heard a rapid knocking at his door and he rushed over to answer it, only to find Serena in the hall crying. When she saw he was there she launched herself into his arms and wept. "Buns, what's wrong?" he begged while he held her tightly.

It took a couple of minutes for her to calm down, but she managed. By that time he had brought her over to the couch and wrapped her up in his embrace.

She took a cleansing breath and said, "My grandfather, my dad's dad, fell and broke his hip. My parents are going to move in with him for at least three months to see what help he needs and if they can make everything safer for him. I have been officially kicked out." She paused and took a deep breath. "They plan to take Sammy with them." Her lower lip trembled and tears formed in her eyes again.

"He can't be taken away from you; I have been talking to him in the mornings and you are his family. He doesn't want to live with them." Darien sighed and said, "I will do my best for you. Please forgive me if I fail you." He stood and set her on her feet and had her get ready to head out with him.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Darien smiled and said, "I am going to go and try to convince your parents to let him move in here. You are going to ask Sammy if he wants that."

She stared up at him in shock, "You really think you can get them to let him stay here, with you?"

"I'm going to try. We are going to have to figure out quickly what we plan to tell him. I think we should tell him everything. He's family and he's always been there for you." he said as he grabbed his keys.

Serena followed him out the door and out of the building to his car and they made their way to her parent's home. Before she got out she looked at him and said, "Please believe me when I tell you that no matter what my parents say I appreciate this. If they don't let Sammy come live with you, you didn't fail me or him."

"I hope I can believe that if it happens." He sighed and continued, "Let's head in and see what I can do."

Serena took him straight in without knocking and found her parents around the kitchen table making plans. "Mom, dad, Darien would like to talk to you about something for a moment."

Serena's father sighed and said, "You want her to move in with you, don't you. I guess I will allow it."

Serena paled and looked at Darien. He shook his head and silently urged her to go up and talk to her brother. She left, disgusted with her parents and hoping that they wouldn't hint at what they had advised her to do. She had been horrified when her mother suggested moving in with him and getting pregnant to secure him. Her mother had pointed out to her that he was rich and he was going to be a doctor and that she could make herself his wife.

Darien joined them at the table and braced himself to attempt to give Serena something she desperately wanted. "Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, I was actually coming here to ask you about Sammy. Serena mentioned you were going to stay in the countryside for awhile and I was concerned about his prospects there." He saw that Serena's mother had taken the bait and now he just had to reel her in correctly. "Sammy is in a very good school here, and can continue on into a great high school next year. His grades are superb, and I worry that they won't have the same quality of education where you are headed. I have been spending time with him and have seen a lot of myself in him. I believe I can tutor him and advise him as to the best way to get into any University program he wants to." He paused to let them speak.

"You think he is that bright?" Mrs. Tsukino asked him.

Darien nodded, "Absolutely, in fact I believe with a little tutoring from me he will have the highest grades in his school." He knew Sammy was capable of that if he applied himself. He doubted that a stressful home life was aiding in Sammy's ability to study well.

Mr. Tsukino narrowed his eyes, "You are that committed to Serena? You would have to stay with her if you took in her brother."

Darien nodded and was disgusted by the look of glee on her parent's faces. He realized that he was destined to succeed. It would make it impossible in their eyes for him to break up with Serena. Her mother's next words confirmed that.

"You would have to stay true to our daughter. He wouldn't allow other girls in your apartment." she said smiling.

"So you will let him move in with me?" he figured it was time to push for an answer. Both of her parents nodded and he let out a breath in relief. He stood and said, "I will let him know he will be moving in with me then."

Serena met him at the top of the stairs with a pensive look on her face. Darien asked, "Did you hear what they were saying?" he sighed.

She nodded and said, "I love you. Sammy will be glad to hear that they said yes. He agreed very quickly once I assured him it was your idea and that you wanted him there."

"We are going to have to tell him everything soon. It would put him at ease and it's the right thing to do." he pointed out. They then walked into Sammy's room. Darien took one look at his hopeful face and said, "Start packing, you are moving in with me, the sooner the better."

Sammy jumped up and smiled at him, "Thank you so much for keeping me here in Tokyo. I will find a way to repay you one day. You don't know how much this means to me."

Darien looked him in the eye, "Soon we are going to have a conversation about everything going on, but I need you to just believe me for now, okay?" Sammy nodded. "You have been here for your sister through everything that your mother has said and done. You have been the strength that she needs to help her face it day in and day out. I owe you more than I could ever repay."

Sammy looked at Darien in shock, he had never seen himself as a protector like that. "She has been the one protecting me." he pointed out.

Darien gave a half smile and said, "She never fights for herself, she only fights for others. If you weren't here she would have been trampled by her mother. You are what gave her the ability to fight. You have also been here to encourage her and let her know that she is loved and that she isn't alone. I know that because she has told me, I have heard of what you have done for her. Don't ever undervalue what you are to her and what you have done for her. It's a lot. Now, start packing so that you can move out of this place."

Sammy smiled and got to work packing boxes and a few suit cases he had laid out.

Darien and Serena walked down stairs and Darien entered the kitchen to talk to her parents again, "I assume it's okay to take all of the furniture in his room to my apartment?" They nodded and he was pleased. He had no intention of letting Sammy move back in with them. "Great, once he has everything packed, I will have him moved into my place."

Darien took two steps and paused and then turned around and ran up the stairs to Sammy's room. He asked, "How long until you have everything packed?"

Sammy looked up startled and said, "It's just my room so I can get it done today, if I need to. I don't know what to do about the furniture."

"I do. Don't worry about that. Finnish packing today and I will have you moved into my place tomorrow." He went to turn around and almost ran into Serena in the hall.

She looked up at him and said, "Are you going to have the guys help move him?"

He shook his head no, "I am going to hire a moving company to move his things and yours. I am going to call the guys and have them help me move my office furniture out today. That way the room will be ready for him." He paused and turned around to talk to Sammy, "I will have them come while you are at school. I am sure your mother won't mind letting them in. I am going to talk to the building manager and have you listed as a resident of my apartment. I have an extra key at my place, I will give it to you tomorrow."

Sammy nodded and thanked him and then Darien grabbed Serena's hand and walked her back to his car. He opened her door and once they were both in he turned to her to speak. "You're parents are idiots."

Serena grew pensive and nodded, "I'm sorry. They shouldn't have said that."

"That was not… they acted like you weren't worth anything. I can't… how can they be so stupid?" he sighed. "You father would have let you move in with me. We haven't even been together for a week. We know what we are to each other, they don't!"

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

He shook his head, "Don't. Don't apologize for something they said. You aren't responsible for them in any way. You are amazing and perfect and they are blind. Neither of you are going back to live with them. I will do everything I can to fight them for Sammy, He can't be with people like that."

Serena stared at the road as they drove back to his apartment lost in thought. She didn't know how to be on her own and it scared her. As much as her mother was cruel to her, at least she had an adult making decisions in the home.

"No," Darien had picked up on her unease and he didn't want it to continue. "You are going to be okay. I will help you in any way I can." He pulled the car over to the side of the road and looked into her eyes. "You are my soulmate, the love of two lifetimes for me. I will marry you. Tell me that I am not in this alone."

Serena looked startled and said, "Oh gosh, of course not! I am absolutely in love with you and I plan on marrying you too."

Darien smiled and said, "Good. Then anything you need you will come to me for it. I am going to order you a credit card and you will use that to help out with bills and food around the apartment while you live with Mina."

"I can't…"

Darien interrupted her, "You said you are going to marry me correct?" She nodded at him. "Then you can. I was born to protect you, my father made a wish on his Golden Crystal to ensure I was able to do just that. I inherited a lot of money when my parents died, I am starting to suspect that you are the reason that I have it all. Let me do what I was born to do, don't make me deny my reason for living."

Serena nodded and said, "Is it always going to be so hard to argue with you?"

He smiled and said, "If I was actually good at arguments you wouldn't be fighting Beryl as Sailor Moon, but I will take this win gladly. You have enough to worry about with saving the world, let's not add financial stress to it."

She cocked her head and looked at him and started laughing, "Just the other day you worried that you weren't expressive enough with your feelings. Look at everything you have done for me in just one morning. It's far and away the biggest romantic gesture I have ever heard of. My brother is going to be living with you and you are going to help me when I move out so I don't have to get a job. No one can beat you when it comes to acts of love."

He felt her love for him radiating off of her to the point where it was almost a physical presence in the car. He took her hand and closed his eyes. He then focused on his Golden Crystal and he had no trouble locating it. He felt her tugging on his hand abruptly and he dropped his concentration.

She looked panicked and said, "Don't do that here in the car, you don't want to draw people's attention. You started to glow."

"What?!" he was shocked. "I had no idea! I will keep practicing with the Golden Crystal inside my apartment from now on." He dropped her hand and pulled away from the curb.

"That was really cool though." she looked out the window for a moment. "I wonder if I can access my Silver Crystal the same way you access yours. We should try it out sometime together."

"That is a brilliant idea." he responded.

"What made you able to access yours?"

He gave a half smile, "You. I felt your destress this morning before I even knew what happened and right now I felt your love. Looking back I think I was able to feel your happiness when Jadeite asked out Raye that day at the Arcade. I think my Golden Crystal can make me feel a little bit of what you are feeling. It's probably related to how I can find you and feel when you are in danger." Darien pulled into his parking spot at his apartment and paused. "Um... you came over to my apartment because you were distressed. I just realized that now that I have fixed the problem you probably wanted to be at home packing."

Serena laughed and said, "I do, but I knew you felt the need to get me out of that house." He nodded at that statement. "How about if we walk to the Arcade and you get me a chocolate milkshake."

"Sounds like a good plan. And you were right, I wanted to get you away from your parents." They got out of the car and began walking.

Darien and Serena sat at the counter and talked with Andrew any free time that he had. Darien felt more like a man than any other time in his life as he listened to Serena tell Andrew the story of how he "rescued" Sammy and brought her a great amount of peace of mind. He silently congratulated himself on beating any lunch that Jadeite brought for Raye, hands down.


	19. Sammy's Day

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter.

I have a new one shot up Finding Love, check it out if you are interested.

Thank you for reading. Also, I adore all reviews that you send me.

Chapter 19 - Sammy's Day

Sammy woke up early on Monday morning and got out of bed. He had a sleeping bag laid out on it that he quickly rolled it up. He took his pillow and packed it in the last open box and taped it shut. He got ready for Kendo practice with the guys and carried his toiletries with him along with his change of close for the day.

He went downstairs and was shocked to see Serena up early and sitting at the breakfast table. Their mother was off getting ready for her day. Sammy said, "What are you doing up early?"

Serena poured a bowl of cereal, "I got up early to eat breakfast with you. We won't be able to do this together for a while."

Sammy nodded and poured his own cereal, "First of all, we didn't really do this before. I would also argue you'll see me a lot. Not that I am complaining… Shoot. I just realized I am probably going to be seeing you kissing. Yuck!"

"I will get Darien to hire a really good therapist for you. I bet you will be seeing that a lot." she winked playfully at him.

Sammy made a face at her and then stuck out his tongue at her. He grew serious and said, "This is really okay? I mean, as of today you have been dating a week. This isn't too soon?"

She smirked, "What? Worried he'll break up with me?"

"Gosh no! I just don't want you to feel like you have to stay with him because I am living there with him." he told her.

"You are so sweet to be worried about that! Please just trust me for now. Everything will be okay." She looked around and lowered her voice, "Darien and I have a lot to tell you tonight at the apartment."

"He hinted at something being up too. Are you secretly engaged?" he whispered.

Serena didn't know how to answer that. They did just agree to marry each other yesterday. She didn't have a ring though. She decided to just evade the question, "It will all make sense tonight. Well, actually that might be a lot to ask for. We will explain everything tonight. How much sense it makes, even I'm not sure yet."

"Okay, that's as clear as mud." he quipped.

The both finished their breakfast and, as Serena headed up to get ready for her day, Sammy headed outside to meet Darien.

Sammy loved Kendo practice. He loved joking with the guys and he found that he looked up to Darien. Every time he was shown a new move or needed correction he was treated with patience and respect. He was glad he would be able to be around them more. He felt that he fit in more with the guys than he did with his classmates. He didn't know what to make of that.

School that day started out like normal for Sammy. He got a test back in his fourth class, math, and that was when things started to veer from normal. He had received 100% on it. The good grade was not what was strange. Ryan, the bully, had noticed his grade and stayed silent. That was not how things normally worked.

Sammy turned to look at Ryan and was obviously puzzled. He received a shrug from him in exchange. He wasn't at all sure what in the world that meant. After class, he stopped Ryan and said, "What is going on?"

"You want me to pick on you?" he asked, confused.

Sammy shook his head, "No, but it's expected. Some things just seem inevitable, like gravity."

Ryan sighed, "I just… I can't anymore. I got tired hating you over your perfect life and your perfect grades."

Sammy laughed so loudly that he drew the attention of those around him. He apologized and looked seriously at Ryan and said, "If I get a B+ my mother is horrible to me. She kicked my sister out of the house and I am lucky enough that I am able to move out too. When my father comes home, he barely acknowledges my sister and me. Where is the perfect life that you are talking about?"

Ryan looked stunned, "But your sister is popular and happy all of the time."

"My sister is kind to everyone. That's why she's popular. Also, she chooses to be happy. She thinks it's too much work to be sad." Sammy pointed out.

"Huh. Well, and I'm sure it doesn't hurt that she's hot."

"Hey! That's my sister." Sammy cringed.

"I'm not wrong." Ryan pointed out. He then changed the subject, "My dad never thinks anything I do is good enough. It sucks."

That's when two things dawned on Sammy. One, Ryan bullied him because his father bullied him, and two, this was his chance to make a difference in someone's life. He had so many people looking out for him that he wanted to pass it on. "Hey, want to join me for lunch? I know how much it sucks when you aren't good enough for a parent."

Ryan nodded. They had lunch together and found out they had a lot in common.

Sammy walked into the Arcade after school and walked up to the counter and sat on the stool. "Hello Andrew!"

Andrew placed a chocolate milkshake down in front of Sammy and said, "Hello, Sammy. Darien wanted me to give you that when you got here. He and your sister will be here as soon as they can."

Sammy smiled, "With this, they can take all of the time they want! Yum. You make the best milkshakes!"

Jadeite walked in and sat next to Sammy on the stool. "Darien had a couple of things he wanted to get before he took you to the apartment. How was your day at school? Any trouble with Ryan?"

Sammy shook his head and said, "School was great! I got my math test back, I got 100% on it."

"You are too much like Darien!" Jadeite jumped in and added.

Sammy was secretly pleased and continued, "Thanks. Ryan noticed my test score and we talked today. Turns out his father is a lot like my mother and he was taking it out on me. We are getting along now."

Jadeite chuckled and said, "And now you are a lot like your sister. That's the best way I have ever heard of to beat a bully, befriend them. Brilliant."

Sammy shrugged, "It just doesn't make sense to add to people's suffering. It's too easy to be nice."

"Well, you go ahead and be nice. If you need someone to be mean though, give me a call and I'll beat them up for you." Jadeite smiled and ordered a coffee.

Sammy hesitated and then asked, "How was your day?" Talking to people older than him was still an adjustment for him.

Jadeite just said, "Great, I got a test back too. I won't tell you my grade, but for me it was a great score. I got to sit by my wonderful girlfriend at lunch, and one of my best friends is in a great mood today."

Sammy was puzzled, "Who?"

"Darien. Word is he's getting a new roommate." Jadeite pretended to whisper a secret to him.

"Why would that put him in a great mood?" Sammy still was confused as to why he was moving in with Darien.

"Well, he likes you a lot and it makes him look really good to his girlfriend. I don't know how I know it, but those two are truly meant for each other. He would do anything for her." Jadeite explained.

Sammy looked forward to the explanation that he was going to get that night. Serena kept alluding to there being something different between her and Darien. "Speaking of your girlfriend, you know Raye will light you on fire if you hurt her." Sammy said smiling and laughing.

Jadeite nodded, "Is it weird that I find her temper to be a turn on?"

Sammy laughed and almost shot some milkshake out of his nose. "You two are perfect for each other." He grabbed a napkin and wiped his nose shaking his head at Jadeite.

Andrew chuckled and chimed in saying, "And yes, it's weird."

Jadeite shrugged and took a sip of his coffee, he was okay with being weird.

Sammy had just gotten his new room to a place where he could sleep tonight and be able to get ready in the morning. The guest bathroom was now officially Sammy's too. He just knew he would have to keep it clean for when people came over to visit.

He walked out and saw his sister and Darien sitting on the couch waiting for him. They looked nervous and he didn't know what to expect out of them. He decided cracking a joke would be the best way to ease the tension, "You're about to tell me I am a match for Darien and he needs one of my kidneys aren't you?"

Darien laughed and then grew serious, "Hm… I wonder if you would be a match for me."

Sammy's eyes grew big, "You really need my kidney?!"

"No, I was messing with you." Darien replied.

Sammy joined them in the living room and sat in the chair across from his sister. "So, what do you want to tell me then? You have been hinting at something big since yesterday."

Serena nodded and sighed, "It's hard to explain. Things aren't really how they seem." She stood up and transformed into Sailor Moon.

Sammy's eyes grew huge and his jaw dropped. "What just happened?"

"It turns out that I am a superhero who can fight bad guys. But really I jumped ahead in the story." Serena looked sheepishly at Darien. "I just figured you would want some proof that this crazy story is true."

"It all started a little over a week ago when I had a strange dream one night. At the end of the dream I had picked a flower from the garden, and when I woke up, I was surprised to find the flower was next to me on the bed. It turns out your sister and I are reincarnated star crossed lovers from thousands of years ago." Darien tried to explain to him as succinctly as possible.

Serena smiled at Sammy and said, "At any time you can take a break from this story. It's a crazy one for sure. Thousands of years ago we were engaged to be married when Darien was killed protecting me. I took his sword and used it to join him in death."

Sammy held up his hands, "So, you both know you will stay together because of a dream?"

"It's more than that," Darien said. He pulled out his laptop and showed Sammy the daily list he had made and shown Serena. "My past self told me about our love and who we were."

"But no one can live on the moon." Sammy stated.

Serena nodded, "Not anymore." She turned to look at Darien, "Well, Tux, want to show him what you got?"

Darien stood and transformed into Tuxedo Mask. "I'm able to help protect your sister. She has begun fighting Beryl's minions."

"But if she is a princess, she shouldn't be fighting!" Sammy stated.

Darien chuckled, "I doubt you will have more luck with that argument than I did. She wants to fight and she doesn't want her Senshi or Luna to know who she really is."

"Senshi? Luna?" Sammy asked, puzzled.

"I have four guards and a cat that is my advisor. That cat I brought home, she's really an alien from the planet Mau. She can talk and she is the one who told me that I am Sailor Moon. She also tries to boss me around." Serena said.

"Tries to boss you around?" Sammy asked.

Serena shrugged, "I don't like to be told what to do."

Sammy laughed. "Finally something that sounds normal! You like to do things your own way."

Serena stuck her nose in the air, "Because I am a princess and leader of the solar system."

They all laughed.

They answered all of Sammy's questions and explained about Luna, Amy, Endymion and all of the facts that they were sure of. Darien even reached inside himself to activate the Golden Crystal and was able to show Sammy how he could make himself glow, for now. Sammy was really curious about who everyone was and how the generals were all in Kendo with Darien.

Sammy asked, "Does that make me anything? I do Kendo with you or am I a human born to be the brother of the Moon Princess?"

Here Darien chuckled, "You are human, but you are also reincarnated. Turns out your name was Arcas and you were my younger brother. You were a Prince of Earth."

Sammy just stared at them. He then attempted to talk, "Wha… How… I'm your brother?"

Darien nodded, "You fit in so well with us and you are truly gifted at Kendo. I grew suspicious and asked Endymion. He was pleased to find out that his brother was reincarnated. In our past life, you died coming to the aid of our father."

"How does this work? Am I the brother to both of you?" Sammy asked, confused.

"You are her brother now. Thousands of years ago when we first lived, you were my brother. Endymion said you were a great brother and you were excited to have Serenity as a sister. In this life that just came about quicker." Darien said.

"So the hint that everything is okay with me moving in is because you are going to marry my sister and in our past lives you were my brother?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. And there is one more thing." Darien said. "You can't tell anyone any of this."

"WHAT?!" Sammy said in shock.

"Amy and Luna know Serena is Sailor Moon, but that is it. They don't know I am Tuxedo Mask or that she is the Moon Princess." Darien told him seriously.

Serena next said, "You are family and we wanted you to know first. You have the most right to know and we trust you to keep this a secret. That, and we figured that if you knew Darien saw you as a brother, you would feel better about living here and not feel like you are a burden or out of place. You're family."

Sammy rubbed his hands over his face. "This is a lot to process." he sighed. "First things first, Serena, I am so proud of you. You always want to protect those you care about and you are fighting to do just that as Sailor Moon. Please, come up with a way I can help. Even from the sidelines. I want to be a part of this."

Serena got up and rushed over to give her brother a hug. "We will. I am so grateful that I was given you as a brother in this life. I was an only child before and you have helped me so much. Thank you."

Later that night before Sammy fell asleep he reflected on what he had just found out. One thing he knew for sure somehow, he was home.


	20. It's About Time

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter

Chapter 20 - It's About Time

Ramua bowed before Queen Beryl and said, "I have a plan. I can amplify human energy by creating a feeling of anxiety. I will make everyone who buys one of my clocks feel rushed and like they are constantly out of time. I will be able to collect more energy for you that way."

Beryl was pleased with Ramua. A second Sailor Scout had shown up and she was feeling pressured from Metalia to gather energy quickly. "Very good, make it so."

"As you wish Queen Beryl." Ramua bowed again and left to implement her plan in service of her leader.

Serena arrived at Mina's apartment, now hers too, after she and Darien told Sammy about who they really were. She walked in and smiled at Mina, "It will be great to share an apartment with you! I can't wait to see all of the fun we will have!"

Mina chuckled and said, "I am glad to not be living on my own anymore." She pulled her hands out from around her back and held up a gift for Serena. "I got you a gift!"

Serena beamed and unwrapped the present. It was a clock that looked a lot like Luna. The cat's back was arched and it had one front paw drawn up in front of its mouth, and the tail was sticking in the air. "Oh my gosh! It looks just like Luna. I love it, and now I won't be late in the mornings."

Mina smiled at her and agreed, "Luna is such a cute cat and I am so glad to have her live with us. I saw it and it reminded me of her and I had hoped you would like it."

"I do!" Serena hugged Mina tightly. "I am going to put this by my bed and make sure to set it so I can wake up in time for school tomorrow. Darien will be picking me up in the morning."

"Well, good night and see you in the morning!" Mina headed off to get ready for bed.

Serena shut her bedroom door and Luna jumped up on her bed flicking her tail in annoyance. "I don't think that clock looks anything like me at all. I don't look that sinister."

Serena chuckled, "Sure you do. It looks like it is yelling at me to get up just like you do. See?" She held the clock out in front of Luna for her inspection. Luna rolled her eyes. Serena placed the clock by her bed and said, "I will unpack these boxes later this week. Luckily I packed an overnight bag with my things I will need right away." She stretched, yawned and went to bed.

The next morning, Darien knocked on the door to pick up Serena and Mina answered the door looking puzzled. He said, "I am here to get Serena. How are you today? Would you like a ride to school also?"

Mina shook her head, "Thank you, but Kunzite is getting me. There is a problem though. Serena already left for school. I asked what she was doing and she said she was going to be late and that she couldn't wait for you."

Darien was completely confused. He stepped into the apartment and strode to Serena's room. That didn't sound like her at all. He walked in and noticed that all of her boxes were unpacked, broken down and ready to be recycled. He glanced at Luna and noticed she looked agitated. He regretted that he had to pretend to be clueless about her being able to talk. She would have more information on Serena and what happened.

He stepped back into the hall and said, "I will head to school and see if I can catch up with her. She managed to unpack her whole room too it seems."

Mina nodded and he walked out the door to his car flipping his keys in his hand as he tried to figure out what was going on with her. He knew he couldn't try to draw on his Golden Crystal in public since last time he did he started to glow. He figured he could always hide away later and try to use it if he wasn't able to figure out what was going on.

Once he made it to school, he found her impatiently sitting and waiting in her first class. He stepped in to talk to her and she cut him off, "I don't have time to talk right now. I need to get ready for class. I have so much to do." He walked away thoroughly confused.

Back at the apartments, Luna had moved into action as soon as Darien and Mina had left. She had noticed a strange green glow coming from the clock the night before and then Serena woke up frantic and in a hurry to get everything done. Luna tipped over the clock and the back popped off. The inside of the cat clock was completely empty. Just then a green light shot out and quickly drifted away. "I knew something looked sinister about this clock!" she complained and took off to find Amy.

She caught Amy just as she was about to enter the school and was able to get her attention. "Amy, Serena has a strange clock and I think it is doing something bad to her. I need you to come and look at it with your Mercury Computer. It's vital we do this now."

Amy nodded and rushed to follow Luna, "Make it quick. I don't want to be too late to class today."

Luna let Amy into the apartment and showed her to Serena's room. Amy picked up the clock and noticed that it was hollow just like Luna. "How strange." She then pulled out her computer and scanned the clock. "It's letting off a residual dark energy signal." Amy sighed, "How are we going to defeat them if they are draining Serena's energy?"

Meanwhile, Darien strode into the men's bathroom at school and checked the stalls to see if anyone was in there. They were not and he walked over and locked the main bathroom door. He then stood in the room and focused on his Golden Crystal. He felt the energy from his Golden Crystal go through him and he focused on Serena. He felt her energy being drained out of her and the constant frantic energy she exuded. He let his link to the Golden Crystal drop, strode to the door, unlocked it and made his way to her classroom.

Once he arrived he found Mina in there, but no Serena. He asked "Where is Serena? This seems to be becoming a habit today."

She nodded and said, "She isn't the only one acting strangely either. The teacher and a bunch of students, including Serena, just announced that everyone was taking too long and they left so that they wouldn't be late. It's so weird, right?"

Darien nodded and said, "I'll figure out what is up with her. Don't worry about that." He then looked and tried to find Amy, only to discover she was also missing from her class.

He walked out of the school and saw Amy rushing up to him. He darted his eyes around and then whispered, "Is Luna here?"

She shook her head, "No, she went to check out the store that Mina bought Serena's clock from."

"Backup and explain that part about the clock." he asked.

Amy explained about the gift Mina had gotten for Serena and how it turned out to be a device to gather energy for Beryl. "Obviously you know that Serena is Sailor Moon, if you know about Luna."

Darien nodded and said, "I will help you locate her. I know you are Sailor Mercury and you will have to do the actual fighting." He wished he could explain that he was Tuxedo Mask. He would let her go off to fight and then join her as the masked hero.

He felt a mounting unease inside of his chest and instantly knew it must be Serena. He looked to Amy and said, "It would make sense for her to head this way." He pointed and headed in the direction he felt pulled. He hoped she wouldn't question him on how he knew.

Amy nodded and said, "I'll follow you." She was terrified. She didn't know how to fight on her own and she desperately wanted Serena with her. She needed the support of her friend to get through this and she was afraid she wouldn't have it.

They raced down the sidewalk together and passed by many frantic people in a rush to get things done. They saw the scope of Beryl's new plan and it was large. They came upon a crashed bus and saw Serena jump out. She seemed to be in a hurry.

Darien ran up to her and pulled her into his embrace, "Are you okay, Buns? Did you get hurt?"

She lifted her hand up to the bump on her head and said, "Just a little bump, I fell when the bus crashed." He kissed her forehead and didn't let her go.

Amy came up and scanned Serena, "She's being drained of energy. I don't know how to stop it. I will run some more scans to find out if I can do anything."

Darien shook his head, "You trace where the energy is being drained to. I will be right back with her. I think I have an idea on how to help her. I need it to be done in private though." He winked at Amy and she blushed for Serena.

Darien pulled Serena down the nearby ally and behind a dumpster. She said, "I don't have time for this!" She tried to pull away from him and he held her tighter.

"Buns, you aren't acting like yourself. Let me help protect you like I promised." She nodded and he pulled her close and closed his eyes. He focused on his Golden Crystal and, finding the power inside of him, he focused on breaking the link between her and whatever was draining her energy. He felt something give way and he then felt her relax in his arms.

"Thank you, I feel so much better now." She got on her tiptoes and kissed him and he returned the kiss with passion. He had been so frightened for her.

"It seems like Amy and I better get going and stop this new plot to drain people's energy. Hopefully that hottie Tuxedo Mask shows up to help out." She traced her finger down his bicep and smiled up at him.

He got a cocky smile and said, "Remember to not appear too affected by him. You can't be caught cheating on me."

"Oh I think I can manage, as long as you promise to sneak into my room later tonight." she gave him a heated look.

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "It's a deal." He then pressed kisses into her neck.

"Funny, how I was in such a rush and now I don't want to leave." She leaned into his kisses and pressed her body against his. She sighed and said, "I really should go help Amy." She pulled back and kissed his cheek and said, "Thanks for saving me, Dumpling."

"Veto."

"Dreamboat?"

"Nope, veto."

Serena sighed, "Fine, well I am going to head off. You meet up with us as your hot alter ego, Tuxie."

"Veto on Tuxie too." He chuckled at her antics.

She shrugged, "I tried." She then ran off to meet up with Amy to help her defeat whomever the newest minion of Beryl was.

Amy and Serena met Luna outside of the clock shop. Even though it was during business hours, the shop was completely closed up.

Serena insisted, "Let go in and stop them!"

"What if they are waiting for us? It could be an ambush?" Amy pointed out to her. Luna nodded along with what she said.

Serena shook her head, "They made me miss time with Darien this morning. That I won't tolerate! Let's go. Moon Prism Power Make Up!" She transformed into Sailor Moon.

Amy shrugged at Luna and said, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Mercury Power Make up!" And she too transferred into a Sailor Scout.

Sailor Mercury raced with Sailor Moon towards the shop. Sailor Moon barely paused to take off her tiara, charge it and yell, "Moon Tiara Action!" She sent it careening straight towards the front of the shop and it made a portal through the door. Moon and Mercury made it through easily and Luna ran right into the door as the portal closed.

They raced down a long hall and burst through the door at the end only to find a woman there who seemed to be expecting them, "You made it here quickly. I'm not surprised." She chuckled and transformed into a humanoid creature with yellow eyes, a tattooed face and pointed ears and pointed teeth.

Just then Tuxedo Mask stepped in and startled the creature, "I'm Tuxedo Mask. It's time for me to stop you."

Serena rolled her eyes at that and held back a chuckle.

Ramua looked at him and activated the clock so that she could steal extra energy. It pulled in energy from all over town, powering the clock to then transfer the power to Beryl. She smiled and said, "I would like to see you stop me!"

Sailor Moon ran towards her and every step she took was harder and harder until she collapsed out of sheer exhaustion. Ramua made a move to strike. Tuxedo Mask swooped in, gathered up Sailor Moon and got her out of the way. He then used his Golden Crystal to restore some of her energy and stepped back to let her take the lead.

Amy was astounded by what she saw. Not only had he helped to save Sailor Moon, he had an energy source that glowed from within him. She made a step to aid Sailor Moon but Ramua sent a green energy beam at her from the palm of her hand and froze her.

Ramua said, "I have stopped your time!" She was laughing as she made a move to attack Sailor Moon again.

Before she could, Tuxedo Mask pulled out a rose and sent it flying tip first at the huge clock behind Ramua, shattering it. That move restored everyone's energy and released Amy from being held captive by time.

"No! The energy is escaping!" Ramua yelled trying to hold onto any of it that she could.

Sailor Mercury instantly went into action yelling, "Bubble Spray!"

That gave Sailor Moon enough time to take off her tiara, charge it and yell, "Moon Tiara Action!"

Ramua disintegrated into dust the moment that the tiara struck her and the entire store then disappeared around them all.

Tuxedo Mask tipped his hat at them and said, "Until later." And took off quickly disappearing out of sight.

Luna ran towards the girls, yelling out for them excited that they were okay. She then jumped into Serena's arms, nuzzled Serena and then jumped into Amy's and did the same. "I am so glad you are both okay!"

Amy trembled slightly and both Luna and Serena picked up on it. Serena said, "Why don't you take Luna home with you tonight for comfort. Your mom does have the night shift tonight, right?"

She nodded and thanked Serena. She then left with Luna.

Serena waited a full minute before she said, "It wasn't a lie. I really am concerned for Amy. She could use the comfort from Luna. It just happens to be to my benefit too to get Luna out of the apartment."

Darien stepped out of the alley and walked over to embrace Serena, "I should know better than to believe I could hide from you." He kissed the top of her head.

That night Tuxedo Mask snuck in through the window of Serena Tsukino and saw her waiting for him. She placed her index finger over his lips and he nodded that he got the message.

He stalked towards her, swept her up in his arms and kissed her whispering in her ear, "I take it we have to be quiet because Mina is up?"

Serena nodded, kissed him again and whispered, "She is and it's fun to sneak around."

He smirked at her and pulled her against his body; he then released energy from his Golden Crystal ensuring that all of her energy had been restored.

"Even while you are kissing me you are still making sure I am protected." She shook her head and pulled him down on the bed with her. He wrapped her in his embrace, covered her with his cape, and spent much of the next hour exploring her body with his kisses.


	21. Steps Forward

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter

I added a second one shot onto Finding Love.

Thank you so much for reading this.

Chapter 21 - Steps Forward

Darien met Zoisite at his place after school. He had already dropped Serena off at her apartment and promised to stop by later.

Zoisite showed Darien into his place and said, "So tell me I'm not the only one struggling with all of this."

Darien gave him a wry smile and said, "What part of it are you having a hard time with?"

"All of it," said Zoisite. "She's a superhero! That kind of stuff only happens in the movies. Also, how can I stand back while she puts herself in danger? I have this incredible urge to help her. I don't even want to stop her, I just want to be there with her."

Darien considered the fact that Zoisite was supposed to help her, well him actually. What he was feeling was his natural desire to protect and defend. "Do you trust me?"

Zoisite nodded, "Absolutely, I do."

"Good, I will figure out how you can help the girls. In the meantime, train with Amy as much as you can." Darien told him.

"Do you think she needs a lot of help training for battle?" Zoisite asked, perplexed.

Darien shook his head smirking, "No, but it is a lot of fun. I trained with Serena the other day. Trust me when I say you will enjoy it. It will also reassure you that she has a natural ability to do this. She's a superhero with superpowers after all."

"You enjoyed it? I guess I am not following that." he said.

Darien replied, "There are a lot of great holds you can use on her. Once in a while, she won't feel so motivated to get out of them if you are doing it right. It's a great excuse to be touching."

Zoisite's eyes popped open and he said, "You really are brilliant! I am going to train with her tomorrow." He paused and added, "You really are okay with Serena fighting?"

"Yes and no. I trust her ability to defend herself and she is incredibly powerful, but a large part of me wants to protect her and not let her get close to the fighting. I am trying to respect her desire to do this and to protect others. It's something I have always admired and loved about her. I can't really ask her to stop being herself now that we are together." Darien replied.

Zoisite thought about what he had said and agreed it made a lot of sense. "Amy does look incredibly hot. The uniform is sexy."

Darien just nodded. By the time he left, he knew Zoisite was more reassured that Amy would be okay. He just really wanted to be able to harness his Golden Crystal so that Zoisite could take part in the battles and be there for Amy and for his Princess.

Serena answered the door shortly after Darien knocked and, grabbing his arm, pulled him right in. "Mina is gone right now. She is over with Kunzite, and Luna is out looking for the Moon Princess."

Darien shook his head, "It's kind of funny that she already found her and she just doesn't know it yet."

Serena shrugged and said, "It is working for me right now." She then leaned forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. Once she stepped back they were both out of breath and she gently tugged at his sleeve. He followed her up to her room and she shut the door. "I want to try something." she told him.

"I am up to anything you want to do!" he replied quickly.

"Don't get too excited." she replied and had him sit next to her on her bed.

She wrapped her arms around him and he watched as she grew very still taking slow even breaths. He was about to ask what she was doing when all of the sudden she started to radiate a silver glow. She sat up facing him, raised her hands and brought her Silver Crystal out of her body. It floated right in front of her chest. He was absolutely astounded that she was able to access it so quickly.

"You try," she said in a whisper. "I used my love for you to locate the energy coursing through me. After all, both crystals were used to bring us together in this lifetime."

He watched her whole appearance change and said, "Open your eyes, you are dressed like Serenity right now."

She opened her eyes, stood and walked to look into her mirror. A golden haired woman in a beautiful white dress stared back at her. "This is what Serenity looks like?"

"Your hair is golden where her hair is silver, but other than that yes." He stared at her, astounded with her ability to so quickly control her crystal. He had been trying for days and he hadn't made near as much progress as she had.

She turned to look at him and said, "Your turn." She then walked over and reached her hands out to him. He held them, closed his eyes and he thought about what she had said. When he concentrated, he felt like his Golden Crystal was calling out to her Silver Crystal. He focused on that and felt a warmth travel through him. His crystal came forth like hers had and he transformed into Endymion.

She looked at him in shock, "This is what you looked like as Endymion?"

He nodded, "Do you like the uniform?"

She smiled and said, "Oh, it's incredibly sexy." She placed her hand on his cheek and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. She heard a low song emanating from their crystals and they were in perfect harmony. She then released her hold on the crystal and her dress disappeared. She was back in her clothes from earlier. Darien followed her lead and did the same.

"I can't believe how quickly you figured out how to use your Silver Crystal." he commented in awe.

She shrugged looking down at him and said, "I knew you would be the key to accessing it. It would make sense that it would be related to emotions and when I am around you is when I feel the strongest."

He pulled her down onto his lap and then leaned over pressing her back into the bed. "I feel very strong emotions around you too. Do you know what I am feeling right now?"

"Lust?" she asked.

"You're half right, so I will give you partial credit," he replied.

She playfully asked, "And what does partial credit get me?"

He reached up with his hand and grasped her breast. He then lowered his mouth to pepper kisses down her neck. He whispered to her, "It gets you anything you want."

"And here I thought you were taking what you wanted." She quipped.

He nipped at her earlobe and whispered, "I am just reading your body. Tell me if I am wrong, but I got the impression you wanted to be touched." He pinched her nipple and she moaned. "What I am hearing is that you are enjoying this."

She reached down and pulled her blouse off over her head and smiled at him. "Well, if you're going to give me what I want, then I needed to get that out of the way."

He felt his blood run south as he stared at her breasts. Dang were they a magnificent view, the light pink bra she was wearing against her creamy skin just screamed innocence. He found it incredibly sexy. "Oh Serena, your body is amazing." He ran his hands over her flat stomach and up grasping both of her breasts. He gave her a look filled with so much desire in it that she felt warmth travel through her body.

He looked her in the eyes and said, "Every bit of you is perfect." He pinched her nipples. "I enjoy the sounds you make when I touch you. It makes me feel like I am doing something right." He leaned down and sucked on her right nipple through her bra. "So perfect."

She ran her fingers through his hair and said, "You can take my bra off."

He didn't even say anything to that. He frantically tried to figure out how to get it off of her. He wasn't having any luck. She reached behind her back and easily unhooked it, removing her bra. He said, "You're going to have to teach me how to do that." He then stared at her bare breasts. "Wow," he breathed out. He sucked on each nipple and grasped her breasts.

She arched her back under his touch and enjoyed everything that he was doing to her. She moaned, reveling in the fact that they were on her bed and she was half naked underneath him.

He explored her breasts with his mouth and he listened to her moaning from his touches. He wanted to stake his claim on her desperately. He couldn't help himself and he sucked a spot on her right breast, giving her a hickey. The inner animal in him preened at the sight of it on her body. He looked up at her with absolute desire in his eyes and said, "I'm not even sorry."

"I could have stopped you if I didn't want it. I like that I will have that hidden on my body. It is a nice secret to carry around all day." she smiled up at him.

"I held myself back from marking your neck so that everyone could see it." he kissed her neck right where he had wanted to put the hickey. "I figured you wouldn't want it to show though."

She shrugged and said, "I probably wouldn't, but I wouldn't have hated it either."

After a lot of kisses and touches, Darien knew he had to head to his apartment to study and let Serena get some studying done too. He was not in the right place to study in that room with her.

He managed to cool off on his way back to his apartment. Before he left, he had told her that he wouldn't be able to pick her up in the morning since he had Kendo practice.

Darien walked into his apartment and smiled to himself. Sammy was there with a friend and they were sitting around the kitchen table working on homework together. He looked and realized that he really liked not coming home to an empty apartment. He brought his school bag into the kitchen and said hello to both of them.

Sammy smiled up at Darien and said, "I hope you don't mind if we study here."

"It's not a problem at all, you live here too now. How is the studying going?" Darien sat down on one of the chairs at the table.

"First Darien, this is Ryan." Sammy decided he better introduce his friend to him.

They both greeted each other and Darien pulled out his homework. He had decided to join them while they studied.

Sammy looked tentatively at Darien and then decided to ask him for help, "Um… We have been trying to figure this out" he pointed to the math problem, "and we are both stuck. Could you give us a hint?"

Darien pulled the book towards himself, and pulling out a sheet of paper, carefully explained how to solve the equation. Ryan and Sammy both listened and followed along closely. When he was done, they were both able to fully understand how to work the problem.

Ryan said, "Wow, thanks. It makes so much more sense when you teach it. They are right when they say you are a genius."

Darien shrugged and said, "Thanks."

Sammy enjoyed studying that evening with Darien and Ryan. It surely was a group he never could have predicted studying with.


	22. Ghosted Part I

blueeyeddevil06 Thank you for being my beta

There will be mental communications in this story going forward. They are written in italics.

Chapter 22 - Ghosted Part I

Beryl was getting frustrated. There were two Sailor Scouts and they had stopped all of her plans to collect energy. Metalia was growing impatient. She knew she needed to succeed soon.

She called Bazzite to her throne room and waited impatiently to hear her plan.

"Queen Beryl, I will serve you and get energy from every human's weakest spot, love."

She adored the sound of that plan, "Go ahead and make it so my cousin. Don't fail me."

Darien dropped Sammy off at his school after morning Kendo practice and was making his way back to his own school in morning traffic. He was surprised by the vast amount of traffic at the time and heard people honking. Everyone was getting frustrated with waiting.

He looked over and saw Serena crossing with the light and smiling at Lita who was waiting for her across the street. He then saw a car veer out in traffic and try to run the red light. As he sat there, he had the horrid feeling of watching her as the car sped towards her. Everything within him screamed out for her to jump out of the way. She was in danger.

Just as the car was about to hit Serena, he saw her leap out of the way just in time. Lita ran up to her and drug her the rest of the way to the sidewalk. He noticed Serena turned and looked right at him and in his head he heard her voice saying, Thank you, Stud Muffin. He decided that one wasn't so bad. Then it dawned on him that he heard her in his head. He surely didn't know what to make of that.

As soon as he could park the car, Darien was out and sprinting to Serena. Their group parted for him as he ran to her, wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

She gently talked to him through the connection that had formed between them: I heard you yelling out to me to jump out of the way. You saved me.

Darien was again astounded by Serena's ability to use her Silver Crystal: Buns, I was so scared when I saw that car coming at you. He wrapped her tighter in his embrace, and he noticed she was shaking. He mentally told her: Everything will be okay.

She looked up at him and spoke out loud to him, "I will be alright. The shaking is just from the adrenaline running through me right now." She looked around at her friends and added, "We should all get to class. I know I would like everything to get back to normal."

Darien prepared to walk her to class and realized he left his school bag in his car. He chuckled and said: Wait for me. I need to get my bag for school.

She paused and waited for him as he went back to his car to retrieve it. She thought about what it meant that they could speak to each other like this. She also wondered how far this mental link stretched.

Serena sat in her second hour class. She had calmed down from her morning fright and she was now back to wondering how the mental link worked and if they had to be near each other in order to talk through it.

Her teacher announced a pop quiz and she just smiled. It was time to test it out. She looked at the first question and sent a quiet nudge to Darien and said: Can I ask you something?

She felt him startle and she heard him say: Yes. Are you doing alright? She could tell he was worried about her.

She stared at her paper and asked him: I am fine. I was just wondering when the Kofun Period was again?

He quickly replied to her: 250 - 538 AD. Wait, did you just use me to cheat in history?!

She sent him a mental shrug and replied: I figure this is good practice and I was wondering how far our link stretched.

She heard him reply: But you used me to help you cheat. You have to learn this yourself.

Why? She asked: I am assuming this isn't a temporary link between us. I will be able to ask you again if I ever really need to. Oh and when was the Muromachi Period?

She felt him sigh again and he said: 1338 - 1573. You really need to stop asking me to help you cheat.

It's a pop quiz. She pointed out and added: I would have studied if I knew the teacher was going to ask us this today.

Hence the point of a pop quiz, He told her and then said: I love you, Buns.

I love you too, snookums, she replied.

She almost chuckled out loud when she heard him say: Definitely a veto! Stud muffin wasn't so bad, by the way.

She went back to her pop quiz and finished the rest herself. She knew he wouldn't want to help her cheat any further.

At lunch, she sat down and saw Molly beaming. She motioned for Serena to come over and slipped her a photo. It was a picture of her in a wedding dress and veil. Serena couldn't help herself and said, "Oh my gosh, you look so beautiful!"

Molly blushed and thanked her. She told her, "My cousin is getting married and she missed the fitting. I was meeting her there so I tried it on. She really does have great taste in dresses."

Serena whispered, "You'll be a beautiful Bride one day, soon." She winked at her.

Nephrite noticed something was going on, stole the photo out of Serena's hand and looked at it. He looked up at Andrew in shock and said, "You asked Molly to marry you already?!"

Andrew's eyes got really wide and vehemently he replied, "Oh my gosh, no! No way would I have asked her to marry me!"

Everyone froze in unison and turned to look at Molly's reaction to his announcement. Molly whispered, "I liked my cousin's dress, so I tried it on. He didn't ask me to marry him." She ripped the photo in half and crushed it in her fist. She stood and before she had taken two steps away from the group, Serena was following her.

They made it to the girls bathroom and Molly threw the photo in the toilet flushing it. She then slammed the stall door when she went to wash her hands at that sink.

Serena stared at her and said, "I'm sure he didn't mean it like that."

"Did he have to act so horrified in front of everyone? I get denying it, but he acted like the idea repulsed him!" She buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

Serena wrapped her arms around Molly and said, "I'm sure he was just startled and didn't react well." She felt Molly shake with her tears. She mentally asked Darien: Please tell me he feels badly for what he said. I don't know quite how to comfort her.

He is looking for her and he feels awful. Where are you? Darien asked her.

She sent him a chuckle: The girls bathroom by the chemistry lab.

Molly wiped her eyes and said, "I don't want him to ask me right now. I am just confused after all we went through. What was the point of that if he doesn't possibly see a future with me?"

Serena was about to reply when the bathroom door opened and in walked Andrew. She looked for Molly's reaction and noticed she looked a little hopeful. She released her and said, "I will stand outside of the bathroom and keep anyone from coming in."

She stepped out and saw Darien there shaking his head. He said, "I can't believe he just waltzed right in. I hope only you and Molly were in there."

"Lucky for him we were!" she laughed. "It probably helps his case that he was willing to walk in the girls bathroom to find her. I am glad we can communicate with each other."

"I will forever be grateful for the fact that I was able to warn you to get out of the road," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Me too." she smiled up at him.

He looked in her eyes and said, "You will make the most beautiful Bride."

She blushed and said, "You haven't even asked me yet. You can't just say things like that."

"Noted," he replied and pulled her close.

After school that day, the guys had an extra practice for Kendo. They had a tournament coming up soon and they wanted to impress their girlfriends. They had a small bet on who would do the best too. What they didn't know was that the girls had been placing bets too.

The six girls soon found themselves outside of the bridal shop staring through the windows and admiring the dresses.

Serena pointed to one of the dresses on display and said, "Lita, that dress would look just beautiful on you! You should try it on."

They moved to go into the shop and a passerby gently grabbed Serena's arm stopping them. She insisted, "Don't go in there. They say the place is haunted by a ghost bride that seduces grooms. A bunch of guys have disappeared."

Raye scoffed and said, "There is no such thing as ghosts."

The woman replied, "Just the other day my friend's fiance went missing. She had been in that store not long before he disappeared."

Serena made a mental note to come back and look into the store later that night with Luna and Amy. She would also make sure Tuxedo Mask just happened to come by too.

Later that afternoon, Raye overheard a woman who came to the temple to pray. She prayed for her fiance to come back to her while her mother assured her that the ghost bride was just a rumor. She was curious and felt the desire to go by the shop that evening.

Bazzite was overjoyed. She had seen the girl that her past husband had fallen in love with. She knew she wanted to make her pay for catching his eye. Bazzite knew she had always been beautiful and his wandering eye had infuriated her. It didn't matter that she couldn't stand him from the moment she met him. He was supposed to fall at her feet. She was beautiful, and she was going to help her cousin become Queen. She desired one thing, power.

She animated her mannequin bride and sent it out to look for men to enrapture. She smiled when she saw her once dead husband come out of the Arcade. He would be her next target.

Andrew turned and squinted. It was late and he saw what looked to be a bride across the street. He completely missed that Molly had been waiting for him off to the side.

The mannequin looked at him and he felt drawn into her eyes. She said, "Look deep into my eyes. You are now my slave. Give me your energy." He didn't even register it when his will was replaced.

Molly watched from across the street as he kissed the ghost bride and then he turned walking away from the direction of his apartment.

Lita was walking home that evening after visiting with Mina and asking her for some love advice. As she walked past the bridal shop, she stopped and noticed the dress she had admired earlier was missing.

"Lita," Andrew said, "I have been looking for you."

She turned and was startled by him walking up to her. Before she registered what he had intended to do, he was kissing her. She felt the energy being drained out of her as he kissed her, and her world went dark as she passed out.

Molly gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.


	23. Ghosted Part II

blueeyeddevil06 Thank you for being my beta

Chapter 23 - Ghosted Part II

Amy's Mercury computer allerted her to an attack by one of Beryl's minions. She quickly contacted Serena and told her the location. Neither were surprised. They both transformed and began to make their way to the bridal shop. Luna made sure to ride along on Serena's shoulder. She felt that it was important that she was there.

Molly witnessed the kiss Andrew gave Lita and she was crushed. However, she ran across the street and towards Lita once she saw her collapse. She was confused and her heart was breaking, but she wanted to get to her friend who was in danger. She decided to put the kiss aside and deal with it later.

As she arrived in front of the bridal shop, Andrew turned to her and she quickly noticed that something was wrong. She looked into his eyes and saw that not only didn't he seem to recognize her, but that they were also red. She took a step back, and he tightly grasped her wrist, pulled her to him, and kissed her. He quickly drained her of energy and she collapsed.

Once Andrew saw Molly fall to the ground, it was a shock to his system. He too collapsed, no longer under the control of the ghost bride, but now drained of energy too.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury arrived in front of the bridal shop and saw the mannequin laughing, standing over the unconscious bodies of their friends.

Sailor Moon sent a mental message to Darien: Please tell me you are near the bridal shop. We need your help.

The mannequin wasted no time in attacking the Sailor Scouts. "I will destroy you, Sailor Guardians." She blasted black flower petals at them both.

Sailor Moon yelled to Mercury, "I can't see through this!"

Raye quickly realized her instincts were right. There was something wrong. She watched everything in shock. She was able to see Andrew kiss Molly and then they both collapsed. What really surprised her though was the two women fighting the mannequin. They were obviously both in uniform. There was also this deep burning need in her to help. She watched as a cat ran up to her.

She watched as the cat did a flip and a pen came flying at her. The cat yelled, "Say Mars Power Make Up!"

Raye held the pen and said, "Mars Power Make Up." She then transformed to look similar to the women she saw fighting. Something within her just knew what to say and she yelled, "Evil Spirit, be exorcised." The black flower petals quickly burned off.

When the fire cleared, they couldn't see the mannequin bride. That was until she appeared in front of Molly, grabbed her and held her up. The bridal dress slowly changed from pure white to black. Bazzite appeared behind the mannequin as Molly began to wake up. She struggled in the bride's grasp.

Bazzite sneered, "Even when he is under the control of my evil power he can't bring himself to truly harm you. Pathetic! If it wasn't for that Moon brat, he would have never met you, his soulmate. I was going to be the adored wife of the best friend of the King until you came along!"

Sailor Moon moved with the other Sailor Scouts to go protect Molly. The mannequin saw them charging and blasted them with her evil green energy, immobilizing all three Scouts.

Meanwhile, Luna had noticed Lita stirring and that the green Jupiter symbol was blazing on her forehead. She did a flip and sent Lita her transformation pen. Once Lita caught it, she shouted, "Jupiter Power Make Up!" She transformed into Sailor Juipter and immediately sent her attack, "Flower hurricane!" Immobilizing Bazzite and the bride Mannequin. She then shouted, "Let the storm rage on! Let the lightning strike! Jupiter Thunderbolt!" She destroyed the bride mannequin and Bazzite disappeared to report her failure to her cousin Queen Beryl.

As soon as the mannequin was destroyed, the men that had been held captive and unconscious in the back room of the bridal shop started to wake up. Their energy was restored.

Molly noticed Andrew stir and she ran to him. She pulled him close and smiled as she thought of Bazzite's words. He was her soulmate. She leaned down and kissed him.

Luna noticed Tuxedo Mask watching from the sidelines and smiling. She wasn't sure what to make of the fact that he didn't get involved in the fight.

Darien sent Serena a mental message: You have done well, Buns. It seems you have two more guardians.

She smiled to herself and replied: Thank you for standing back and letting them fight. They have done well.

He nodded at her and ran off, heading home. He was confident that she was now safe.

The four girls ran off together and hid in an alley. Luna followed them and watched them all drop their transformation.

Serena welcomed in the new girls to their group by hugging them both.

Luna stood and said, "Now that there are four of you it is time to have a leader. Sailor Moon, you will lead them. It's important that you all look for the Legendary Silver Crystal and watch over the Princess." Luna produced the Moon Wand and gave it to Serena.

She smiled to herself and picked it up instantly knowing it was to hold her Silver Crystal. This was working out perfectly.

The four girls all headed back to the temple to talk and catch everyone up on their mission. Amy smiled as Serena led the group in the discussion. She completely agreed with Luna's pick for their leader.

Luna went to Command Central and updated her mysterious counterpart. She hoped one day she would be able to meet him and ask questions in person. She had so many questions for him.

Later that night, Sailor Moon snuck across Tokyo, lept onto a highrise building and down into the balcony of one of the apartments.

Darien was sitting in his desk chair when she arrived. He flipped on his desk lamp when she opened his sliding patio door to his room.

Darien let out a low throaty chuckle and said, "Well hello, Sailor Moon."

"How did you know that I would show up tonight?" she asked him.

"Hoped. I hoped you would show up tonight." he replied. He leaned back in his desk chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. His eyes showed his desire for her and raked over her body.

She strode across the room and straddled Darien's lap while he sat in his desk chair. She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him into a kiss. He slid his hands down her back until he was grasping her butt and pulled her up against his body. She rocked into him and he let out a low moan.

Darien let a little more of his self control go that night as they explored each other's bodies. He knew it was time to buy her a ring. They knew they were forever and now he needed to show the whole world.

Jadeite couldn't help himself the next morning at Kendo practice. Even Sammy laughed as he reported to Nephrite that he heard from Raye, who heard it from Molly, who saw Andrew kiss Lita last night. The story quickly came out that Andrew was in some evil trance when he kissed her.

Before they all left, Sammy asked Jadeite to text him and tell him what happened once Nephrite saw Andrew. He knew it wasn't going to go well. Well, that and that whatever happened would be hilarious. Later when he checked his text messages at lunch, he laughed and showed Ryan what had happened. He had been right, Nephrite hadn't taken it well.

Once Nephrite arrived at school, he saw Andrew down the hall getting his books out of his own locker. Nephrite saw red. As he stalked down the hall, students scattered out of his way and turned to look and see what was about to happen. Andrew had just closed his locker and turned to go to his class when Nephrite's fist zoomed past his face and smashed into the locker next to him, completely taking him off guard and scaring him.

Andrew jumped and said, "What the hell?! I didn't know what I was doing!"

"I know!" Nephrite pointed a finger at Andrew and said, "If I thought that you had done it on purpose, I would have punched you in the face!" Nephrite shoved him into the lockers and stalked off.

He adjusted course when he saw Lita and walked up to her, swept her up in his arms and bent down kissing her passionately. Much to the delight of the students watching who all began to clap. Once he set her back on her feet, he looked in her eyes and said, "That is how a real man kisses." He then laced their fingers together and walked her to class.

Lita walked along on weak knees with a huge smile on her face.

Jadeite saw the girls in a group gushing over the kiss that Nephrite had just given Lita and he sighed saying to the guys, "And it was my own fault too. Now I am going to have to do something romantic for Raye. She hates to be out shined."

Andrew walked up to the guys looking rattled. Kunzite immediately pointed at Jadeite and said, "He told him."

Andrew then slugged Jadeite in the arm.

"I deserved that." Jadeite admitted.


	24. Artemis Arrives

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter!

Chapter 24 - Artemis Arrives

Mina paced the apartments until she heard Serena open the door. She looked at Artemis and said, "This is going to be an interesting conversation."

Serena set down her bag and said, "Okay, I'm here and ready to talk. What's up?"

Mina decided to just be blunt, "I'm Sailor Venus and we have some things we need to discuss."

Artemis nodded and added, "I have given her the transformation pen and told her about her duties. Oh! I should introduce myself. I'm Artemis."

Serena smiled at Artemis and said, "It's really nice to meet you Artemis! Have you seen Luna yet?"

He shook his head and they heard the door open again and Luna trotted in. She quickly tried to pretend to be a normal cat once she saw Mina and Artemis looking at her.

Serena laughed and said, "Oh Luna, you are too funny! Mina is Sailor Venus and Artemis is like you. You don't have to pretend to be a house cat anymore."

Luna looked shocked and said, "I didn't know there was another like me."

"I am the one you have been reporting to," he told Luna. "You have kept me quite up to date on everything, thank you."

Luna looked startled and her tail twitched. She asked, "Why do I get the feeling you are hiding something from me?"

He winked and purred out, "We will talk about that later, my dear."

Mina tried to hide a chuckle behind her hand. She wasn't as successful as she had hoped.

Serena decided she would try and take charge of the situation. She didn't know quite what Mina wanted to talk about, but she headed up the Sailor Scouts. Serena wanted to establish some control early on. She was the Moon Princess and she wanted to show that she could act like one, even if they didn't know who she was yet.

"Why don't we sit and then we can talk about whatever you wanted to say." Serena said and they all sat down.

Mina narrowed her eyes a bit, "You didn't seem surprised when I told you that I'm Sailor Venus."

Serena decided to show a bit of her hand. "I already knew you were Sailor Venus. You are the head of the Senshi also."

Mina and Artemis were startled that Serena knew that. Luna's head shot up and she said, "Wait, I just put Serena in charge of the Sailor Scouts. Oh, I got that wrong."

Artemis stared at Serena and tried to read her reaction. He was starting to suspect she knew quite a lot more than she had let on to Luna. He decided to give out some more information and see how she reacted, "You were right to do that, Luna. The Moon Wand belongs to Serena. Well done."

Luna relaxed under his praise. She was curious as to why it mattered so much more to her now. It didn't hurt that she found him incredibly cute. She could admit that much to herself.

Serena stared at Artemis and then her shoulders dropped, "Dang it! You know who I am. Please tell me that you will still let me fight. I don't want to be pushed to the sidelines. I want to fight along with my friends. Please." she pleaded.

Luna's tail twitched and she said, "What are you talking about, Serena? Why wouldn't you fight?"

Artemis was about to answer when Serena held up a hand to stop him. She stood, closed her eyes, concentrated and called forth her Silver Crystal. She then transformed into Princess Serenity. She looked at Luna and said, "I am the Moon Princess."

Luna's mouth dropped open and she promptly fainted.

Serena walked over to Luna and gently revived her. She said, "Luna, I wished to fight and I didn't want to be a princess protected by her guardians. I wanted to stand beside my friends."

"I turned the Moon Princess into a Senshi! Oh my." Luna still looked flustered.

"And I allowed it." Artemis pointed out. "I knew who she was. There wasn't ever a Sailor Moon in the past. A past we have to keep from repeating itself. Somehow Beryl hasn't figured out who you are yet."

Serena sighed and said, "Beryl isn't the only problem. Bazzite was at the last attack. She recognized Andrew and Molly and went after them. She didn't recognize me, but I am aware of who she is."

Artemis hissed at the news and said, "She is trouble. We will have to be careful she doesn't figure out who the rest of us are. We will need to hide our link to Molly and Andrew."

Mina looked perplexed, "Wait, what about Molly and Andrew? How are they involved?"

Serena dropped her transformation and sat down. She waited for Artemis to explain what he knew. It was time to find out how much he was aware of.

Artemis said, "Andrew is the reincarnation of Prince Endymion's best friend. Andrew was married to Bazzite. It was not a happy marriage at all. Then one day, he met his soulmate. She was Princess Serenity's friend. Molly is her reincarnation."

Luna looked even more confused, "What does Prince Endymion have to do with this? Who is he?"

"Tuxedo Mask." Artemis said and looked at Serena. "You need to break up with Darien. I am sorry, but it's Tuxedo Mask that you should be with. He is Endymion. He is the reincarnated Earth Prince that you are destined to be with."

Luna objected to that, "It can't be! I don't trust him."

"He died defending Serenity, but she took her life when he did. You swore you would never trust him with her life again before you too were killed by Beryl's minions. I didn't expect you to trust him." Artemis informed her.

"I don't care!" Mina yelled. She startled Artemis, he wasn't expecting her to object. "I didn't tell you about Darien so you could break them up. He loves her and they are perfect together. I don't care if Tuxedo Mask is this Endymion guy. There is no way that I will support you in this, Artemis!" She turned to look at Serena with panic in her eyes and said, "I promise I didn't know he was going to want you to break up with him. I wouldn't have introduced you to Artemis if I had known. Please believe me."

Serena smiled at her and said, "I completely believe you Mina. You have no idea how much your adamant support means to me right now." Artemis started to object and she held up her hand to quiet him. "You can all relax. There is no need to be upset or argue. Darien is Tuxedo Mask. I already knew that he was Prince Endymion."

Artemis looked completely floored, "How did you find out? I don't understand. You didn't retain your memories."

"He has been having nightly chats with Endymion on the moon and has even lived through one of his memories. He has a Golden Crystal, one that his father had before him. He wished upon it to ensure Darien was able to protect me. Endymion telling him about our shared past is part of that protection. He knew I was in danger from Beryl before I ever faced her." She smiled at Mina and said, "You are right. We are perfect together."

Serena held up her hand and closed her eyes. She had to admit she liked the dramatics of it. She then spoke to Darien: Stud muffin, Mina knows who we are. Can you please come over? I need you to meet Artemis.

I will be right over. He replied and she felt a wave of love from him hit her.

She added: Let yourself in. I love you too.

She gently smiled, dropped her hand, and opened her eyes. "Darien is coming over to meet you, Artemis."

That completely shocked the other three. Artemis asked, "How? How do you know?"

"We recently learned we can speak telepathically. It happened once we both gained more control over our Crystals." She looked at Mina and said, "It was Darien who warned me about the car that almost hit me. He saw it happening and thought desperately about how he wanted me to jump out of the way. I heard him. That was how we discovered we could speak to each other that way."

"Thank goodness." Mina said. "We were all terrified that you were almost hurt."

Luna sighed and looked down at her paws, "I am glad he was able to save you."

Artemis chuckled, "Well, it seems the tables were turned on me. I thought I would be informing you as to your rank and duties. I come to find out you know more than I do."

The door swung open and Darien walked in. He said, "Serena said that I could just let myself in." Darien looked around and said, "And where is Artemis?"

"I am right here," he said.

"I apologize. I knew Luna talked, but I was unaware that there were any more from the planet Mau." Darien said to him.

Luna's tail flicked, "And I was unaware that Serena told you about me." She was miffed that she had been kept in the dark.

"She didn't. I heard you talking at the jewelry store attack and asked Endymion who you were. He informed me." Darien walked over, sat next to Serena and laced their fingers together. "I have been relying on him, well or me depending on how you look at it, to give me information."

Luna huffed and asked, "What made you so sure you could trust him?"

"He told me that Serena was important, that she was everything to me. Once he said that I trusted him." Darien told her and squeezed Serena's hand. She smiled up at him and blushed.

Mina smiled at Serena and said, "This was before you started dating wasn't it?"

He nodded and said, "The next day I woke up and called Andrew. I told him that Serena wouldn't be paying for her food anymore at the Arcade. Endymion gave me the hope that she would actually say yes to me if I asked her out." he smiled down at Serena. "He was right, she is everything to me."

Mina sighed and said, "I wish I had a soulmate too. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you. I just want a love that transcends time. It's so romantic."

Serena laughed and said, "You think that a Princess from Venus wouldn't have a soulmate? Kunzite is Darien's head general, but more importantly for this conversation, he's your soulmate. You were in love thousands of years ago and you are in love now. It is so romantic."

Mina's jaw dropped and then she gathered herself together and smiled. She said, "Really?" Serena nodded.

"That jerk! He wouldn't sleep with me because he said it was too soon!" Mina said in anger.

Serena was so shocked by Mina's outburst that she nearly choked.

Darien mentally spoke to Serena: I better warn him. Of what I'm not quite sure.

Serena mentally chuckled and said to him: It might just be better to go out and buy him some condoms.

Look at that box over on the counter. Mina already has some. He replied

Mina crossed her arms, "You two are being rude and communicating to each other and leaving us out of it."

Serena looked her in the eye and said, "Oh gosh, I'm sorry. We were just discussing the fact that you have a box of condoms on the counter over there."

Darien was so startled by what Serena said he burst out laughing.

Mina turned beet red and said, "Go ahead and go back to your quiet conversation."

"I think we are good for now." Darien said. "We just have to figure out how much to tell the guys. Zoisite knows Amy is Sailor Mercury. I probably should tell them all who they are though."

Luna hissed, "I told her not to tell anyone!"

"And I told her I already told Darien. I knew I had the authority to tell her to inform him and he is her soulmate too. I don't want their relationship starting out with a lie. Raye and Lita may have already told their soulmates too." Serena said to her.

Mina beamed, "We've all found our soulmates! That's so wonderful."

"Oh!" Darien interjected, "Sammy is reincarnated too."

"He is?" Mina asked Serena, "Was he your brother in the Silver Millenium?"

She shook her head, "Nope. He would have been if I had gotten married."

Artemis was surprised, "The younger Earth Prince was reincarnated too?"

"Yes," Darien said. "Endymion was quite pleased."

Artemis closed his eyes and bowed his head, "May I go home with you tonight? I would like to see him again. I know he won't remember me, but…" he coughed to clear his throat. "I deeply respected him. He was the one who sent the warning to the Moon when Beryl was set to attack. Without that, Queen Serenity wouldn't have had enough time to formulate her wish and make it on the Silver Crystal. He is the reason we are all alive right now."

"I wasn't aware of that." Darien said.

Artemis looked at him and said, "Endymion only heard that he died. There wasn't time to tell him that before his brother went to their father's aid, he warned the people of the Moon Kingdom. His last words to us were, 'Save Serenity.'"

Darien pulled Serena close, kissed the top of her head and spoke to Artemis, "I will be happy to bring you home with me. It seems we both need to thank him."


	25. Family

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter!

Chapter 25 - Family

Darien parked the car, picked up Artemis and went over to open up Serena's car door. He sighed and said, "Too bad your purse isn't big enough to sneak Artemis into my apartment. I don't know how we are going to get him past the doorman. There are no pets allowed in our building."

Serena got out and smiled up at him. She took Artemis from his arms and said, "No problem. I got this."

"And how do you figure that?" Artemis asked.

"Watch me." Serena said and walked up to the door of the apartment building. She smiled at the doorman and said, "Steve, how is your wife feeling?"

"She is doing better now that she is out of the first trimester." He pulled out an envelope, handed it to her and said, "Here is the thank you for the cookies you brought. She loved them."

"Oh!" Serena said and handed Artemis to Darien. She pulled out a note card from her purse and handed it to him and placed the envelope in her purse. "Lita sent the recipe in case Mary wants to make them herself. You were telling me what a fabulous cook she is the other day."

"She will be thrilled to have this! Thank you." He winked at her and said, "Have a great night, and I didn't see anything."

Once the three of them entered the elevator, Darien turned to Serena chuckling and said, "Okay, how in the world do you know him? I have been with you every time you have come over."

"He used to be the doorman where Amy lives. I've known him for years." she replied smiling at him and she took Artemis back.

"Blackmail and smuggling. You are a woman of many talents," he replied to her.

Artemis looked shocked, "Blackmail! What are you talking about?"

Serena rolled her eyes, "He makes it sound worse than it is. I just got a girl to stop a rumor by telling her I would inform her mother she was drunk at a party if she didn't."

Artemis calmed down, "Oh, well in that case, it's fine."

"So a little blackmail is alright?" Darien asked laughing. He already believed they would get along really well. They seemed to have similar opinions on things. Most importantly, Artemis wanted them together, desperately. Luna seemed to not agree on that point. Darien knew he would have to deal with that later.

"I hate mean girls," Artemis replied simply. "They have an innate cruelty in them that I find barbaric. I serve a Princess that I am proud to say defends others from such people." He looked at Serena and said, "You were like that in your first life too."

Serena hugged Artemis closer and said, "Thank you for saying such kind things about me."

"It is what you are," he replied.

The elevator arrived at his floor, and Artemis went back to acting like a normal house cat. Well, a normal house cat that was being smuggled into Darien's apartment.

Once Darien closed the door to his apartment behind them, Artemis leapt out of Serena's arms and dashed into the living room. He paused, looked back at Serena and she just smiled at him, understanding what he wanted her to ask.

Sammy was sitting there on the couch reading a book for one of his classes when Serena asked him, "Is anyone else here, or are we alone?"

Sammy placed a bookmark in his book and said, "Ryan left an hour ago. He has a Soccer game in the morning, and he wanted to get plenty of sleep. I figured I would wait up. With the way things have gone lately, there is probably something new you need to discuss."

Artemis leapt up on the couch and said, "You were always very perceptive."

Sammy promptly dropped his book and fell off the couch. His head narrowly missed the coffee table. He laid there on his back and said, "So the cat talks. That would have been nice to warn me about." He looked up at his sister and sighed. He knew Luna talked but hadn't ever spoken to her. He wasn't aware there was another talking cat. He wondered if this was a thing now and how many there were. Then it dawned on him that the cat seemed to know something about him. "Wait, what do you mean that I was always very perceptive?" He then got up off the floor and sat down while the cat answered him.

"I don't remember everything about the Silver Millennium, but I do remember some things about you. We got along very well. Once I heard you were reincarnated too, I asked to come and see you." Artemis smiled up at him.

"I don't remember anything about my first life at all," Sammy admitted. "I am sorry that I don't remember you too."

Artemis cocked his head and said, "You have nothing to worry about there. You are the one who got the warning to the Moon Kingdom that Beryl was coming. The wish on the Silver Crystal that Queen Serenity made took time. You told her Beryl was after Princess Serenity. She immediately began preparing her wish and activating the Silver Crystal. Because of you, she had enough time to prepare and ensure that you all were reincarnated. You are the reason we are all alive right now." Artemis bowed to Sammy, "It is an honor to be able to get to know you again, Prince Arcas."

Sammy's jaw had dropped while Artemis was speaking. This time it was because of the content of what he said and not the fact that he was talking. "I warned the Moon Kingdom in my past life?"

"Yes, and it appears that Queen Serenity made you part of her family as a thank you for making all of this possible." Artemis replied. "I, too, thank you."

"Don't… Well, I mean." He sighed and said, "It's weird to be thanked for something I didn't do. I may have done that in the past, but I have no memory of it. How do I even know if I am like that now?" he wondered.

Artemis let out a feline laugh and said, "I am sure you are like that now. Darien wouldn't have had such great things to say about you, and he wouldn't have you living here if you weren't. Endymion's devotion to Serenity is perfectly mirrored in Darien. He obviously sees you as a protector of hers."

Sammy thought about that and all that Darien had said and done earlier. "I guess I better start believing it then. It seems like there is a lot to accept, and the sooner we do, the sooner we can move on and get some things done." He paused and decided he needed to ask, "Darien, you do plan to marry my sister, don't you?"

Darien nodded and was about to speak when Sammy cut him off. "I don't mean to be rude, but we have to discuss some things first. I know you have spoken to your lawyer about getting guardianship of me. You need to stop him before it goes any further."

"I'm sorry that I read that so wrong. I will stop him as soon as I can." Darine said and grew thoughtful.

Sammy shook his head, "You misunderstand me. If you plan to marry her before she turns twenty, you will need my parents to sign off on the marriage by law. If you are fighting them for custody of me, they won't sign the legal documents. Right now, they really want you two married and they would sign it in a heartbeat."

Serena spoke up and asked Darien, "You are trying to get custody of Sammy?"

"It was going to be a surprise for you both." He chuckled and added, "I didn't realize that Sammy was so sneaky."

Sammy shrugged, "I bet I spied on you all the time in our last life."

Artemis nodded and said, "You did. Actually, unbeknownst to many, you did a lot of spying for your brother. It was how you found out about Beryl's attack."

"I love your sister and I will marry her. I don't believe either of us are willing to let you go in order to marry sooner." He looked at Serena, "Don't ever doubt my desire to marry you, please."

Serena wrapped her arms around Darien and said, "I promise you I won't. I completely agree with you. Don't stop your lawyer from pursuing custody. We will just have to marry when I turn twenty. It isn't like we are even engaged right now."

Darien kissed her head and said, "We are soulmates. We belong together."

Artemis nodded and said, "Sammy needs to stay with you. I have heard what their parents are like from Mina. If you need me to do any spying, I can go out to the country where they are and listen in. One more cat to catch mice on the farm would be welcomed by them."

Darien looked at Artemis and said, "That actually isn't a bad idea. I know it might be a lot of work for you to do all of that, but it's for Sammy after all."

Artemis nodded, "It is, and I am more than willing to do that for him."

"Good." Darien was ready to change the subject slightly. "Sammy, we will need you here in the morning. Mina is going to bring Luna and Kunzite over here. We will be informing him first about what is happening. He is my head general after all. I want to afford him the respect of being told first."

"Wait, shouldn't Serena be coming too?" Sammy asked.

Serena's cheeks grew pink and Darien shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

Sammy sighed and said, "That's what is in the back pack isn't it? She didn't bring homework. She brought clothes."

Darien scratched the back of his head with his hand nervously and said, "We will just be sleeping. You don't have to worry about anything."

"If you were anyone else I would kick your ass right now," Sammy said and frowned. "Please, let it just be sleeping. I REALLY don't want to be hearing any funny noises. She's my sister."

Artemis chuckled, "You're rethinking your idea about getting custody, aren't you?"

Sammy replied, "I know I am!" He then started laughing.

Artemis curled up on the couch and said, "Well, I am sleeping here tonight. Goodnight everyone."

Sammy headed to his room grumbling and shut the door.


	26. Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 26 - Behind Closed Doors

Darien led Serena to his room and shut the door. He then said, “Well, I didn’t think all of this through it seems.”

Serena laughed and said, “Kunzite lives alone. I will just kick Mina out. She won’t mind.”

“I am going to marry you,” Darien said looking into her eyes. He pulled her close and held her tightly, “I need you know that. I need you to remember that at times like this when it seems like I just want your body.” He ran his hands over her, “It’s such a sexy body, and I want to learn every curve you have by touch and by heart.”

She moaned as he ran his hands over her. An electric sensation zinged through her, and she felt herself get wet. She pressed herself up against his hands. She then looked up at him with the best imitation of innocence she could fake and said, “Oh, no. I forgot my pajamas. What will I do?”

He bent down and whispered in her ear, “You will borrow one of my t-shirts tonight. I don’t think you want to lose your virginity with your brother listening to you screaming yourself hoarse from his room.”

She looked down at her feet and asked, “You are a virgin too, right?”

He reached down and lifted her chin to look at him and he said, “If I wasn’t clear before, let me be now. You are my first everything. Every girl I ever saw, I compared her to you and found her lacking. I should have said that WE don’t want your brother hearing us lose our virginity.”

“Sorry, I don’t doubt you or your love for me. I just know you are incredibly good looking and that a lot of girls would want to sleep with you.” she said.

He smiled down at her and said, “I don’t lack control of myself around anyone but you.” He whispered hot in her ear, “Just remember that when I am touching you tonight while you are trying to fall asleep.”

“You are already forgiven.” she replied while she gave him a heated look.

She made it into his bed that night without wearing one of his t-shirts. She stayed warm from the heated kisses he pressed into her body. He got an odd pleasure out of watching her try to stay quiet as he slid his hands over her body and enlisted moans from her. She squirmed under his touch, and she even grew bold enough to slide her hands over his skin and touch him intimately. He almost cursed that Sammy was in the next room.

Darien woke up the next morning, and the first thing he saw was golden hair spread out all over the pillow next to him. He quickly realized he loved waking up next to Serena. He then noticed she had a white flower resting on her hair. She looked lovely. She had apparently felt him stirring, because she woke up and looked at him with crystal blue eyes and smiled. He tightened his arms around her and kissed her on her bare shoulder. He tried to control himself. He found her so alluring and tempting right now.

She let out a contented sigh and said, “This is really nice. I feel so safe in your arms.” She scooted up against him and noticed he was very turned on at that moment.

He blushed and was about to apologize, for what he wasn’t quite sure. All of the sudden, he found himself on his back with her leaning over him playfully. Her golden hair cascaded around her and her breasts dangled over him. She smiled down at him and said, “If you apologize for being turned on by me, I am going to transform into Sailor Moon and kick your ass.” The white flower fell out of her hair and landed on his chest. She picked it up, placed it behind her ear and smiled at him.

He brought his hand up to her face and he gently stroked her cheek. “You are just stunning. How did I get so lucky?” he asked. 

She shrugged playfully and said, “Apparently my type is a smart man with a great body,” she kissed his shoulder and added, “in two lifetimes.” She ran her small hand over his abs and his chest. 

He sat up, flipped Serena on her back and looked down at her. “Your blonde hair splayed out all over my pillow and my sheets looks incredibly sexy.” He stared at her, the flower was still tucked behind her ear. He slid his hand over her breasts and paused where he had left a hickey. “I like knowing this is there all of the time. Gosh, I didn’t realize until recently what a caveman I am deep down.”

Serena shrugged, “I like it. And, I may need to point out that you haven’t done anything I didn’t want you to do.”

“I didn’t ask,” he replied.

She chuckled, “If I said stop, you would have. I have no doubt of that in my mind.”

“You don’t ever tell me to stop though. What if I go too far?” he countered.

She shook her head at him and replied, “If you ever go too far, I’ll let you know. I have been right here with you the whole time.” She then whispered, “I would even let you go further if you wanted to. I know you’re going to be a doctor, and I heard they are good with their hands. All evidence I have seen so far supports that theory.”

“You want me to…” he swallowed hard. He stood up, lifted her easily out of the bed and carried her to his attached bathroom. He then started the water for the shower and said, “Then we are going to need something to drown out some of the noises that you are going to be making.”

She removed the flower from her hair and placed it on the counter. She then followed him into the shower. Damn was she right about his hands.

Darien had returned to his room after breakfast under the pretense of doing a bit of homework before Mina, Kunzite, and Luna came by to talk. He sat at his desk with his head in his hands and his elbows resting on the desktop. 

He knew he had to get himself under control. He wanted her so badly. Everything in him shouted out for him to bury himself inside of her and make her his. Endymion was no help. He had never slept with Serenity. He seemed to be pushing Darien towards just that. Soulmates. He kept repeating that same word over and over again. Shoot, and now he was incredibly hard again. He muttered, “This is going to be awkward if I don’t do something.”

Serena walked in, shut the door behind her and leaned up against it. She smiled, shook her head at him and mentally said to him: That’s hardly fair. I am out there talking to my brother and you are in here thinking about having sex with me. And right when I came in, you were considering masterbating while thinking of how you touched me and got me to come undone in the shower. She made a tisk sound. 

Darien got beat red and said: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be thinking like…

She interrupted him by pushing herself away from the door and giving him a sultry look. She replied: My hand is so much smaller than yours, but surely you won’t mind if I help you out there. She placed her small hand on his thigh right by his crotch. He jumped a little and his knees came in contact with the underside of his desk. She looked into his eyes and said: A little jumpy aren’t we? Oh, and Endymion’s right.

He stood, grabbed her gently by the wrist and led her back to his bed to sit down. He whispered, “My body is yours. I won’t ever push you, and I won’t ever deny you anything.” But damn did he want her to touch him. He was more than ready for her to do what she suggested to him.

“Anything?” she asked hopefully, with a glint in her eye.

“Anything,” he confirmed to her.

She undid his pants and used her small hand to pull him out, smiling down at him. She mentally said: You will need to help teach me what to do and what feels good. She then locked eyes with him and took him in her mouth. He almost came right there. Teach me, she reminded him.

He looked down at her pretty pink lips wrapped around him. He knew he wouldn’t ever forget the way she looked right now. He placed his hand on the back of her head and helped guide her to find her rhythm. 

He didn’t last long under the new feeling of being in her mouth. He smirked as he thought he didn’t last long this time. He looked forward to everything they would explore together.

~Reviews are love


	27. General Information

Thank you blueeyeddevil06 for being my beta for this chapter!

Chapter 27 - General Information

Mina walked in with Kunzite and Luna. She took one look at Serena and asked, "Why do I get the feeling I would lose to you at a game of Never Have I Ever right now?"

Sammy desperately wanted to change the subject. He instead asked, "How did you get Luna up here?"

"She knows Steve too." Serena replied for Mina.

Darien chuckled, "So if I need anything smuggled into my apartment I should just ask you girls? That's good to know."

Serena looked at him seriously and said, "I also know a few cops if you ever need to get out of a speeding ticket."

He laughed at her joke and then grew serious when he saw the look on her face. "Wait, you aren't kidding are you?"

Mina laughed and said, "Nope! She even got herself out of trouble when we 'borrowed' my ex-boyfriend's car after I caught him kissing some other girl."

Sammy laughed and said, "The best part of it all was that Serena doesn't even have a license, and she still got away with it!"

"Hey! I am a good driver… most of the time." She started laughing nervously.

Darien looked at her slack jawed and then said, "You stole someone's car?! How in the world did a police officer let you get out of that?"

Mina chuckled and said, "Come on Darien, don't be dense. She's hot. He was hoping for her to show her appreciation to him afterwards." She shook her head, "You should have seen his face when he propositioned her and the Police Chief showed up."

Sammy shook his head and said, "Served him right too. I, for one, didn't need to hear that question asked to my sister. Ick. When you called the Police Chief Uncle Charlie, I am pretty sure that the guy wet himself."

"There are so many things wrong with that," Kunzite said. "I hope that guy got in a lot of trouble. Also, your uncle is the Police Chief?"

"He handed in his resignation before the end of the hour." Serena said. "And no, he isn't really my uncle. He used to live next door to us. His daughter and I were friends."

"Wait, what happened that you aren't friends anymore?" Kunzite asked. He knew she wasn't the type of person to lose a friend over something that wasn't serious.

Serena said, "She died of cancer about a year ago. It was so sad."

"Serena visited her every day for the last month of her life. She stepped out of the hospital room at the very end and let her pass on with just her family in the room." Mina said. She then added, "You were devastated. It was a really rough time."

Sammy smiled at his sister and said, "Three weeks ago was a year since her death. I know you went to her grave and brought her favorite flowers. Her father told me he saw you."

"I miss her," was Serena's only reply.

Artemis flicked his tail and said, "As disturbing and as sad as all of these stories have been, we should probably get onto why we have brought Kunzite here."

By the end of Artemis' little speech, Kunzite had hit the floor unconscious.

Luna jumped out of Mina's arms and said, "Idiot, I pretended to be a house cat the whole way here, and you just speak in front of him without warning." She rolled her eyes and trotted over to Kunzite and looked up at Mina. "So, how do we wake him up?" She then poked his face with her paw. "My idea's not working."

Mina shooed Luna out of the way and leaned down, smacked Kunzite gently on the cheek a couple of times and he slowly began to wake up.

He sat up, looked at Darien and said, "I think you need to take me to the hospital. I am losing my mind. I thought I heard the cat talk."

Darien sighed and said, "You better sit on the couch for this conversation. Things are about to get weird. Weird as in, the talking cat seems normal, kind of weird."

Kunzite stood and walked to the couch to sit down. Sammy returned from the kitchen with a glass of orange juice. "Here, drink this for your blood sugar. It should help."

Darien smiled at Sammy, "Good thinking! That will definitely help with the shock to his system."

They all waited for Kunzite to finish the glass of juice. He looked frustrated and said, "I'm not an invalid. You can tell me what's going on."

Serena sighed and mentally spoke to Darien: Go for it. You're his Prince.

Darien cleared his throat and spoke, "There is actually a lot to tell you. First of all, I need to introduce you to the cats." He paused and mumbled to himself, "I never thought I would say that in my lifetime." He then shook his head and continued, "Kunzite, I need to introduce you to Luna, she's the black cat, and Artemis, he's the white cat. They both speak and are from the planet Mau."

Luna raised her head and said, "Hello, gen… Kunzite. It is nice to meet you."

"It's… er.. Nice to meet you too, Luna." he replied."It's nice to meet you too, Artemis. Sorry I passed out when you spoke."

Artemis shrugged, "No problem. Earthlings aren't as adaptable as those from other planets. I forget that sometimes."

Kunzite chuckled and said, "Hear that, Mina? He says we aren't adaptable."

"He's not talking about me darling, I'm from Venus." she smiled at him sweetly.

He sighed and said, "I think I should have just stayed unconscious. You're an alien?"

"Stop messing with him." Darien sighed, "I know you are upset with him, Mina, but this isn't helping."

"What did I do?!" Kunzite asked, alarmed.

Mina stomped her foot and said, "You're my soulmate, and you said it was too soon to sleep with me." She crossed her arms and pouted.

Sammy sighed and said, "Can we please not talk about THAT right now? I already have to pretend that I heard two showers this morning." He looked at Serena, "You are going to have to get me that therapist you promised me."

"Dammit! I AM going to lose in Never Have I Ever with you." Mina looked at Kunzite and said, "I am going home with you tonight."

Kunzite looked at Darien and said, "I think you better start talking. I am so lost right now."

Sammy sighed and said, "We are all reincarnated. You and Mina are destined to be together. You're soulmates. All of this really centers around Serena though. She is technically an alien and Queen of the Solar System. She was the Princess, but her mother died making sure we could all be reborn."

Kunzite shook his head, "Why does that make sense to me? I feel like I should know this all somehow. Wait!" He looked at Darien, "That was how we all knew you were in love with Serena, isn't it? Somehow I just knew that you both had to be together. Why do I feel like it is part of what I have to do in life?"

Darien replied by saying, "I am the reincarnated Prince of Earth. Sammy was actually my brother in our first life. You were not only my general, but my head general. Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoisite are my other generals. Andrew is the reincarnation of my best friend. Mina is Serena's head guard as well as your soulmate."

Kunzite sighed and said, "Keep talking. Oddly enough I am following everything." He paused and looked at Sammy and said, "First, I have to say I am glad to know you have always been one of us. I enjoy having you around."

Darien then went on to work though and explain everything that had been going on. He talked about his dreams, the Sailor Scouts, and how he planned on telling everyone. Kunzite followed along and his shoulders slumped more as time went by.

Finally, Kunzite said, "We failed in the past. Wow, that sucks. How can you trust me now if I wasn't able to protect you back then?"

"Simple. Back then, you were possessed by evil that Beryl infected you with. Now we just have to make sure it can't happen again." Darien raised his hand and beckoned Serena over.

She walked over, smiled down at Kunzite and asked Mina to sit by him and hold hands. They did and she accessed her Silver Crystal, creating a link between them, anchoring it with their love. She then spoke, "With the Silver Crystal, I can use it to protect. With soulmates, I can use their link to keep out evil. Neither of you can be infected by evil energy anymore."

Luna looked curious, "How did you figure it out?"

Darien spoke up, "Endymion told me everything he was able to learn about the Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal. He, nor Serenity, had used them since they hadn't passed to them yet, but they had both been trained in them. I shared what I learned with Serena."

Kunzite looked at Darien and said, "Please tell me there's a way for you to give me back my powers too. I won't stop Mina from fighting, but I want to fight along with her. We will protect Serena and make sure no harm comes to her."

Serena stamped her foot, "Oh, no you don't! You don't get to put me on the sidelines." She crossed her arms and said, "I am fighting and that's that! I may be the Moon Princess, but you know I want to fight as Sailor Moon."

"You're allowing this?" Kunzite looked at Darien in shock.

Darien chuckled and said, "Go ahead and try to stop her. I couldn't. She fights and there will be no reference to her being the Moon Princess. We are hiding it from Beryl."

Mina said, "It's my job to make sure she stays safe. Darien has been training with her. Apparently he really enjoys it. We should train together too." She winked at him. "I will be taking over as the head of the Scouts."

Artemis spoke up, "Just remember that Serena out ranks us all. When Serenity and Endymion were going to marry, she would have eventually become Neo-Queen Serenity of Earth one day. The union would have brought Earth into the Silver Millennium Alliance."

Kunzite chuckled and said to Darien, "Wow. You sure picked a powerful woman to fall in love with."

Darien replied, "Hey, I was Crowned Prince of Earth. It isn't like I didn't have anything to offer her." He then laughed and said, "I had this exact exchange with Endymion."

"That takes talking to yourself to a whole new level," Kunzite commented.

Later that evening, back at Kunzite's apartment, he commented to Mina, "So, we all are going to be working overtime to keep Serena safe, right? I know I am Darien's general, but I know what my orders will be."

Mina smiled at him and said, "You got that right. Now take off your clothes and get in here with me."

Kunzite stripped down and stepped into the spray of the shower. He took one look at her and said, "This is going to be a very good night."

~ Reviews Are Love


	28. Living A Dream

Thank you to my beta blueeyeddevil06!

I never knew how much reviews mattered until I started writing. Those that have sent me reviews, thank you. I cannot express how much it has meant to me. To know what you like about my writing and to hear an encouraging word makes all of the difference. This site helps balance out everything I read in the news. I come here to feel encouraged. It works ever time. Truly thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Quick note since you probably aren't all keeping track of this in a Google Doc like I am. ;-) It's my job after all.

This story started on a Thursday. It's now Saturday two and (almost) a half weeks after the beginning. I have been posting for so many days it feels like the timeline for the story is getting lost. When Kunzite said that they had just started dating, he wasn't wrong. Mina won anyway. *wink*

If it helps for me to give a timeline update once in a while please let me know. I don't know if it matters as much to all of you as it does me. I am the one telling the story and I want to keep it consistent.

Chapter 28 - Living A Dream

That afternoon, after Kunzite and Mina left, the three sat down to get some homework done. That is when it happened. Instead of studying at his desk, Darien studied at the kitchen table. Well, mostly studied. Serena read some new manga more than she actually studied. She still managed to get her homework done, just not to the same level of excellence that Darien and Sammy did.

Darien was helping Sammy through an algebraic equation when it occurred. All of the sudden, it hit him that he more or less had a family. Serena would one day be his wife and Sammy was a pseudo-brother already. Making him his brother-in-law would just make it obvious to everyone else.

All of those years that he studied at his desk, alone and feeling empty, were at an end. He changed his focus back to the here and now. Right now, sitting at the kitchen table, studying together felt, well, amazing. As much as he looked forward to the future when Beryl was defeated, and he was married to Serena, right now was pretty damn good.

Serena looked up at him from her manga and he felt a wave of joy, love, and peace overwhelm him. I love you, she said.

He sent her his love back and she went back to reading. Some things just didn't need to be said.

That evening, Serena put some of her things away in Darien's dresser drawers. He made sure she had some space and insisted that she keep them at his place. He said he didn't want her sleeping alone in the apartment. She smiled and nodded. She knew that after what happened that afternoon, he would want his whole new found family staying in one place tonight. It was a new experience for him, and she didn't mind indulging him at all.

When she walked out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed, Darien's heart almost stopped. She was wearing a white babydoll negligee with a pink bow and no panties. He could see her dusky pink nipples through the thin fabric. She gave him a seductive look and he pulled back the covers.

She smirked and said to him: Please don't tell me that your tongue isn't working. I was hoping you had full use of that tonight.

He tried to gather himself together and he said: I can always talk to you like this. And, you look so incredibly sexy in that.

She pouted and said: I had other ideas on how you should use your tongue tonight that had nothing to do with talking.

"I promise it works," he said. He was so hard that it was almost painful. He wanted her to walk over and touch him. He wanted to touch her and use his tongue on her.

She smiled and walked over swaying her hips, and then crawled up on the bed. He loved how she looked in contrast to his black satin sheets. She almost glowed against them.

He started stroking his penis looking at her laid out on his bed. He thought about her creamy skin and her pert nipples and how he would seal this memory away. She was perfect.

She looked him in the eyes and said: I was hoping you would kiss me on the lips.

He leaned forward to kiss her, and she shook her head. She spread her legs wider for him and said: Not those lips.

She watched as he swallowed, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He then smirked at her and laid on his back. Come here and sit on my face. I want to taste you.

Serena thought she would combust from the desire rolling off of him. It was something she could almost feel. She crawled over and lowered her pussy onto his face riding it as he brought her blinding pleasure.

As she rode him, she leaned down and took his penis in her mouth. He moaned and the vibration felt amazing against her clit. She sucked him and licked him like a popsicle. He brought her to climax first, and she took him deeper in her mouth to keep from screaming in pleasure. He then climaxed, and she swallowed up everything that he had.

Darien couldn't believe that they had just done THAT. It was far better than he had imagined it would be. He hoped they could do that again sometime soon. He loved the taste of her.

When they were actually ready for bed and settled down to go to sleep, Darien held her tightly. There was something about how his life had been that made him afraid of losing everything good in his life. Serena was the one thing he wanted to hold onto the most.

She smiled up at him and said, "I love you. Thank you for doing that with me."

"What are you talking about? What in the world makes you think I wouldn't want to do that?!" he asked, astounded.

She shrugged and said, "Maybe I said it wrong. I just know that letting go has to be hard for you. You like to be in control. You weren't tonight." she smirked. "When we are intimate, you have to surrender a lot of control over your body. I just appreciate that you never even hesitated with me. It's a sign of trust, and I don't take it for granted."

He pulled her close, "In that case, you are absolutely right. I couldn't be that free with anyone, but you, in any way. It is hardly shocking to say that you are special."

"And, I feel special. I just wanted you to know that." she replied.

He gave her a wry smirk and said, "Buns, anytime you want give me an orgasm, just let me know. I will let you feel special and give up control to you any time."

She burst out laughing and kissed his nose. "I will hold you to that one." She reached down and grazed his penis with her finger tips. "I happen to be very fond of this."

"He says that the feeling is mutual." He kissed the top of her head and pulled her to be the little spoon. He then rested one hand on her stomach and the other on her breast. "This seems like the perfect way to fall asleep," he stated.

She scooted back so that her bottom came in contact with his penis and said, "Now it's perfect."

"Don't get mad in the morning when you are getting poked in the butt," he warned her.

They fell asleep that night touching each other and basking in their post orgasm.

Darien's feet crunched on the stone paths of the moon garden. He walked up to the fountain and turned to his right when he heard Endymion speak to him. "How is everything with Serena," he asked.

"She is perfect. She's everything that I didn't even know I needed," Darien replied.

"Is she happy though?" Endymion asked.

"I left her very happy before we went to bed tonight. I'm holding her in my arms right now." Darien told Endymion. He noticed a flash of jealousy pass over Endymion's face.

"I'm you. Why do you seem upset?" he asked.

"You won't let my memories in. I told you that we could merge, in a way, but you won't. You wouldn't change. You would just have my memories too." Endymion pointed out. Again.

"I don't want your memories!" Darien stated. "Serena was already insecure after I had one memory of Serenity. I have been blocking them out every time they try to start. I won't do that to her. Also, the story is tragic, and she died. Why would I want to remember that?"

Endymion was taken aback. "Why would she be insecure that you remembered her from the past?"

"She thinks I will remember Serenity and like her better." he said.

"You are both different than you were back in the Silver Millenium, but you are each other's perfect match. We were raised in different times and places. In the argument of Nature vs. Nurture, the reality is that it's both. You both changed together. You will like her more than Serenity. She was my perfect match. Serena is yours." Endymion assured him.

Endymion continued, "As for the tragic past, I know. I lived it. There is a way to have all of my memories, but they would seem more like reading someone else's story. You would know everything, but you wouldn't feel like it happened to you."

"What would I need to do?" Darien asked.

Endymion held out his hand and Darien took it. He felt incredibly awkward. Endymion then instructed him to stop blocking the Golden Crystal. Darien relaxed and let the power of the Crystal wash over him.

It was disorienting to receive all of Endymion's memories at once. Darien was relieved that it was more like watching a movie of someone else's life than experiencing the heartbreak. What he hadn't planned on was the fact that he got to watch them both fall in love again. That made him smile.

"In both lifetimes, she chases after what she wants. She never was shy. She always lived life to the fullest." Darien said, his eyes misting over. He was overwhelmed with the love of two lifetimes. Even in pictures.

"And, now you see why it wasn't all tragic. She never hid her love or her joy. She died, but she hadn't left anything unsaid. Our love became immortal and traveled through time." Endymion smiled and said, "I have access to your memories now too. She's still incredible. This will be the last time I will see you. Now I will live on in you fully, the way Serenity lives on in Serena. The part of me that was held back has achieved its purpose. Thank you."

Darien picked a beautiful white flower and held it between his finger tips. He smelled it and smiled. Now he not only had their past,but he also knew what to do to protect her in the future. It was time to give the generals back their powers. It was also time for him to give them their orders. "Protect Serena at all costs."

~ Reviews are love


	29. Further

Blueeyedevil06, my dear friend. Thank you for the edits! My life and my story is better because of you.

Chapter 29 - Further

Darien woke that next morning and smiled at the beautiful white flower that rested in Serena's hair. He reflected on his deep and abiding love for her. Part of him had been afraid that he would compare her to Serenity even a little bit. Now when he looked at her, what he saw was a woman who was even more perfect than he had previously realized.

Serenity had been kind, sweet, and catered to from infancy. Endymion had done everything in his power to give into her every whim. She adored it and cherished how he treated her. In return, he received endless amounts of true love from her. Endymion had felt like the luckiest man in the galaxy.

Their relationship had been different though. Serena compromised in order to give him the things that he desperately needed. One example was family. He knew they could have slept at her place last night. They could have taken full advantage of Mina being over at Kunzite's apartment. Yet he had wanted the three of them in the same apartment. There was something about all sleeping under the same roof that gave him a sense of peace and belonging. She somehow knew what he needed and had gone and gotten a suitcase of her things from her place without even needing to be asked.

Endymion was right. Serena was his perfect match.

It amused him that Serenity, asking to fight along with her Senshi, was the only time that anyone told her no. It was the first thing he lost to Serena over. He wasn't able to keep her from fighting, and he kinda liked that. He meant it when he said that he didn't want to change the woman he had fallen in love with.

Serena stirred, opened her eyes, and smiled at Darien. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

She smiled a wry smile and said, "Suddenly I don't hate mornings so much." She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek and said. "My life really is perfect."

He basked in her words and smiled down at her. He realized that Endymion was right. Waking up with her and holding her in his arms made him see that their story from the past wasn't as tragic as it had seemed. Their story hadn't ended. It had just begun.

"I spoke with Endymion last night and he had some opinions on something." Darien said.

Serena smiled wide, "Did he convince you to do anything sex related with me? I did buy some condoms." She left out the fact that Mina helped her pick them out. She didn't think that would help the mood. "When you are ready of course."

Darien ran his fingers through his hair and blushed. "I want that too. I'm just nervous. I know the first time is painful for a woman and I hate the idea of hurting you."

Serena shrugged, "I am the one who gets to make the decision if I want to do it. Plus, I don't plan on doing it only one time. I plan on leaving you exhausted more often than not." She winked at him.

He surged up in the bed and loomed over her. "And now look at how hard you've gotten me."

She looked down at his penis and saw how long and hard he was. "I know. I am pretty proud of myself," she replied. "By the size of it, you should be too."

Darien looked at the clock on his night stand. It was pretty early for a weekend morning. No way would Sammy be up yet.

He knew he had to tell her the truth of what happened first. "Endymion convinced me to accept his memories. It's more like I watched an entire movie of his life. I don't really feel like they happened to me personally." He looked her in the eyes, and with all of the sincerity he had, he said, "You are so much better than her. Endymion convinced me by saying that you are a perfect match for me as Serenity was his. He was so right. The best parts of you were there in her, but there are things you possess that she was lacking. Objectively, you are better than she could have ever been. You have already been there for me in ways that she wasn't capable. Getting his memories just made me fall even more in love with you."

She closed her eyes and a tear leaked out, "That is the sweetest thing you could have possibly said to me about it."

He looked at her with a desire in his eyes that instantly sent her nerve endings zinging. She rubbed her legs together. "How can you get me wet with just a look?"

He gently lowered himself on top of her and kissed her, quickly deepening the kiss. He rubbed himself up against her inner thigh, and it just heightened his desire. He then sucked her nipple between his teeth and rolled it around. She arched her back and opened up her legs for him. He ground himself into her pubic bone and she moaned.

He pulled a condom out of the dresser drawer where she stored them and rolled one on. She pulled off her negligee that she slept in and looked at him expectantly.

"Fuck Serena, you look amazing." he breathed out.

She gave him a heated look, "'Fuck Serena' is right."

That morning, he watched her orgasm as he buried himself deep inside over and over. For the first time since he found out who he really was, he finally felt like the king that he was supposed to be.

He quickly showered and then drew her a bath. He knew she would be sore after her first time, and he wanted to take care of her. She smiled at him as she noticed he had a bubble bath all set for her. She raised one eyebrow in question.

"I bought it for you once we started dating." was his answer.

She beamed at him, "You spoil me so much." She kissed his cheek and got into the tub to soak.

Dairen was making breakfast for all three of them when Sammy stumbled out of his room groggily. He asked, "Where is my sister?"

"She is taking a bath," Darien replied lightly.

Sammy smiled and said, "Thank goodness! I don't have to think of you two showering together."

Darien turned and smirked at the wall. What Sammy didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

When Darien brought her breakfast so that she could enjoy it in the tub, he let his eyes and hands wander over her body. He grew impossibly hard at that.

Serena looked him in the eye and said: Please say you will let me take care of that.

You don't have to feel like you should do something every time I get turned on. He wouldn't use her for his own pleasure.

She wrapped a towel around herself and got down on her knees. Who said it was only for your pleasure? I love the power I have over you even when I am down on my knees.

Mina and Kunzite arrived early and Mina drug Serena into Darien's room immediately. Kunzite shook his head and then shrugged at Darien. "Sorry" he mouthed to him.

Mina beamed and said, "So, now I'm not losing. We had an amazing time in the shower last night."

Serena smirked and said, "Did you use a condom too?"

Mina's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "No, why?"

"Then I am still winning." Serena replied airily to her.

"You suck!" Mina hissed.

Serena shrugged, "I did that too."

Mina groaned, "I can't believe that I'm still losing to you!"

"It isn't a competition," Serena pointed out.

Mina started giggling, "You are right, it isn't! I just asked that way, because I knew you wouldn't tell me any other way."

Serena paled, "You tricked me into talking about my sex life?"

Mina preened, "Yup." She popped the p.

"You suck!" Serena replied.

Mina winked, "I've done that too. So, how was it?"

Serena blushed. "He was amazing."

"I am so glad for you." Mina told her.

Meanwhile, Kunzite spoke to Darien in the living room. He said, "I already know your orders will be to protect Serena. Mina and I have discussed it and we already have a plan. It will allow her to fight and yet leave someone watching her at all times."

Darien clapped him on the back, "Good. I am not surprised. You always were a step ahead of what I asked. It made you the perfect man to be head general."

Kunzite was obviously puzzled. "You remember?"

"I do now. It has made me even more appreciative of who I have around me. I actually feel better now knowing I will have you and Mina to help me protect her." Darien told him.

"I am glad to hear that. I was hoping that we could put you at ease." Kunzite sighed then. "You know the girls are discussing their sex lives right now."

Darien smirked, "I know Mina well enough to know that was going to happen. Especially now. I am not worried about what Serena will be telling her. I know I left her satisfied." he bragged.

Kunzite chucked and commented, "You're a little different."

"Probably. Not in any way that counts though. I just am a little more self assured now." Darien admitted.

"I like it." Kunzite said. "Serena is good for you. You have been happier since the moment you started dating."

Darien was taken aback. He thought Kunzite meant that he was different since he received the memories. He didn't realize he was referring to the change starting further back.

Serena and Mina came out of the bedroom giggling. Darien turned, smiled and then noticed that Serena was wearing the white flower in her hair. She looked lovely. Something about her with the flower and her smile that morning struck him deeply.

She looked over at him and said: Ever since this morning, when I feel your love, it is even more overpowering. I don't know how I am not going to just drown in your love for me.

I promise that, in my love, you will always be safe. He replied to her.


	30. Gathering More Power

Blueeyedevil06, my dear friend. Thank you for the edits! My life and my story is better because of you.

Chapter 30 - Gathering More Power

Sammy looked around at the group that had gathered in Darien's apartment. He was still trying to figure out where he fit in. He had been the younger brother first to the Crowned Prince of Earth, and now he was brother to the Crowned Princess of the Moon and, technically, the Solar System. What role did that leave him to fill?

He watched as Artemis leapt up onto the coffee table. After Kunzite's fainting spell, he asked that the guys be similarly introduced to him. Artemis had a soft spot for Mina, so he complied. Sammy smirked that his role for the moment would be to sit back and watch a bunch of guys freak out. He felt a little badly for Molly. She wasn't prepared for talking cats either. He was most looking forward to Jadeite's reaction. And of course, as with every time before, Jadeite didn't disappoint him.

Darien looked to Serena and said: Go ahead and take the floor, Your Highness.

She smirked at him and replied: I think you should call me that later tonight too. She then winked at him.

Sammy sighed and said, "When you make eyes like that at each other, it doesn't matter that I can't hear you. I'm still grossed out."

Mina rolled her eyes and said, "When a woman and a man love each other…"

"She's not a woman. She's my sister. My sister, who looked way too happy after her bath this morning." Sammy crossed his arms and glared at Darien, "I respect you, and I know you love her. It's just gross."

"Wait, Serena stayed here last night?" Andrew asked. He was then also glaring at Darien.

Kunzite chuckled and pat Darien on the back, "She has two brothers you need to be worried about now." Artemis hissed, and he amended his statement, "Okay, three brothers."

"Sammy is joking around and has a right to comment about what happened. No one else does. She is mine. Get that?" Darien knew that he was overreacting, but he didn't care. He couldn't stomach even the hint that he should stay away from her. He pulled Serena into his arms and held her. "She is going to be my wife. She's my soulmate, and we have a love that has stretched over many millennia."

Serena looked up into his eyes. She could feel what was happening and she reached out to sooth him. She said: No one is really trying to get in between us, my love. Everyone in this room is thrilled that we are together. We all know that I am yours. There is nothing that can pull us apart, not even death. We beat that already. She kissed his cheek: They want us together.

Darien sighed, "I am sorry. I am just… I just." His shoulders slumped, "There are some things we need to explain first."

"Yup! Like the part about your love stretching over many millennia. That, I am definitely curious about." Zoisite stated. He had talked to Darien about Serena and Amy being Sailor Scouts and that never came up.

Serena spoke up, "That is why we have you all here. It's time to tell you the truth. There is a lot going on. It is going to change the way you see, well, everything."

Artemis decided it was time to speak up and smirked at Kunzite, "Actually, you have no idea how true that is."

Five heads whipped to look at Artemis. Jadeite said, "Please tell me that everyone else heard that too."

"Heard what?" Kunzite asked Jadeite with a completely straight face. "I didn't hear anything."

Sammy started cracking up when all of the color started to drain from Jadeite's face.

Jadeite stood and punched Kunzite in the arm. "Now someone tell me how you got it to sound like that cat is talking!"

Luna winked at Kunzite and then spoke to the group, "Because we are actually aliens from the planet Mau. We aren't really house cats." Luna then flicked her tail. She was enjoying the spectacle and had decided to be part of it.

Jadeite ground his teeth. "Please stop fucking with me right now. Let's go back to talking about Darien's sex life."

Sammy had been laughing at the guys, and all of the sudden, he thought that the conversations weren't funny anymore.

Darien smirked, "Jealous?"

"Now who replaced Darien with an alien?!" Jadeite demanded to know.

Kunzite chuckled, "Darien isn't an alien. Your girlfriend is though."

Jadeite waited for Raye to scream at Kunzite. It didn't come in the way he expected.

Raye rolled her eyes and cracked her knuckles, "I could kick your ass Earth-boy."

"For now." Kunzite replied. He knew Darien would be working on getting his generals their powers back. He noticed Jadeite was chuckling, and THAT was when he noticed how lame his reply was. Shoot. Raye had won that one.

Artemis spoke again, "We really should get back on topic."

Andrew was completely freaked out by the talking cats, but still, his focus was on Molly. He had noticed she had begun to grow pale, and he drew her attention to him. He whispered, "Trust Serena right now. She wouldn't throw us into this if it wasn't a good thing." He rubbed her back and continued, "She cares too much about us all to have this end anyway other way than with us all the better for it."

Raye however, was secretly enjoying Jadeite's reaction. She loved how confident he was all of the time. It was sexy. He was always so self assured. However, she discovered she enjoyed him being thrown for a loop every once in a while too. She would have to remember that. She wondered how she could catch him off guard and then it hit her. She would take a page out of Mina's book and be bold. She had some shopping to do.

Zoisite and Nephrite were both carefully trying to guard their reactions. They had independently figured out that their girlfriends were watching them. All of the girls, except Molly, obviously expected the talking cats. Zoisite wanted Amy to find him analytical and accepting of new information no matter how strange. He hoped she was impressed. Nephrite wanted to appear cool to Lita. He never felt so manly in his life before dating her. There was just something about loving such a strong woman that made him feel like a man.

During all of the banter, Darien sat back and sighed. He was struggling to keep his mind on track right now. It turned out he was a hormonal teenager after all. Serena was all that was needed to bring it out of him. He had just had intercourse with her that morning and his mind was already wondering when they could have it again. He was partially disgusted with himself. Part of his brain pointed out though that Serena said she wanted to have a lot of sex too. Gosh, he loved the way her face looked when he was buried in her. It was just amazing.

We can have sex again tonight. I brought a school uniform and you drive me anyway. I will be happy to stay. Serena said to him.

He sighed, apparently he was projecting his feelings to her again. He crossed his legs to hide his hard on and said: Sorry to do that to you while everyone is over.

It's sexy that we can talk about this and hide it from everyone. Also, you forget that I want you too. She replied.

Sammy rolled his eyes and said, "Seriously, you both need to stop that. I can tell by your faces that you are talking about something that would put me in therapy."

"What the hell is going on?!" Nephrite demanded. He sighed then. He had broken his cool facade.

What followed was a solid two hours of explanations, questions, and answers. The cats were definitely an ice breaker.

At one point, Nephrite announced, "Ha! I told you so, Lita. I told you that I would have fallen in love with you at any time and in any place. I knew we were destined to be together!"

Lita smiled prettily and blushed. She lightly punched him in the arm and said, "I guess I am stuck with you then. That sure worked out well for you." Despite what she said she loved that Nephrite always made her feel so feminine and so special. No man had ever looked at her the way he did. It mattered to her in a way she could never fully express to him. She had thought she had fallen in love many times in her life. Now she knew what it really meant to be in love. She was glad to know they were soulmates. Maybe he would understand a little bit more how much she must really love him. She hoped.

Darien was comforted by how his men responded, even his best friend. Although, he wasn't surprised. He was grateful that Andrew saw Serena as a little sister. He needed that. She was to be protected.

Once they explained about their enemy being Beryl again, the generals all told Darien they wanted their powers too. They wanted to help fight along with him. They pointed out that they were also destined to be at his side. Darien was pleased with what they had to say.

It was Luna who spoke up next. She stated to the whole group, "Serena is the Moon Princess and therefore needs to be protected. I know she, too, plans to fight, but you need to make sure that no one gets to her. The Silver Crystal she carries is incredibly powerful. She needs to be kept safe at all costs."

Darien liked her more in that moment than he ever thought he would. He was glad it wouldn't be just him insisting that she was to be guarded and protected. He added, "My orders are that she is protected. If you plan to be my generals again, it will be with that as your top priority."

Kunzite bowed to Darien first and said, "I promise on my life that I will, in the future, be faithful to Darien. I will never cause him harm and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit."

Darien smiled at Kunzite and nodded, "Rise, General Kunzite. I accept your oath." Darien gathered the energy of the Golden Crystal in his chest and transformed into his Endymion form. He then concentrated on restoring Kunzite to his full powers.

Kunzite glowed briefly and felt a surge of energy run through him. He smirked and built an energy dome around Serena and said, "I promise I will protect her." He then let the dome dissolve.

Jadeite bowed next and said, "I promise on my life that I will, in the future, be faithful to Darien. I will never cause him harm and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit."

Darien said, "Rise, General Jadeite. I accept your oath." He then restored his powers to him.

Jadeite picked up a book and smirked at Darien. He said, "I promise I will protect her." He then threw the book at Serena and froze it in solid ice and it fell to the ground before it could hit her. "I figured I'd better show off too."

Serena had started laughing by that point. Darien was amazed she hadn't even flinched when the book was thrown at her. She already had an incredible amount of faith in his men. He was extremely proud of them.

Nephrite was next to make his oath to Darien. He then promptly possessed Jadeite and made him stand in front of Serena. He then threw the, now thawed book, and it struck Jadeite. "I promise I will use Jadeite to protect her." Everyone but Jadeite was laughing. Once everyone settled down Nephrite said, "I promise I will protect her."

Zoisite made his oath and Jadeite stepped out of the way completely. He wasn't going to get another bruise in Zoisite's attempt to show he could protect her too. Zoisite surrounded Serena in shards of ice and threw the book at her and it bounced off the icy protection. "I promise to protect her."

Raye rolled her eyes, "Great, so you have proved she is safe from books. It's a good thing that the Senshi are here, boys. We can do all of the real protecting."

Zoisite's eyes grew huge as Amy started laughing uncontrollably. He thought that he looked incredibly impressive for her. Apparently she wasn't as impressed as he hoped she would be. He planned to start working with his powers soon.

That evening, they all ordered out for dinner. They sat around, talked, and more questions were asked as they had time to process everything that was going on.

At one point, Jadeite looked up at Sammy and said, "It sucks that it turned out you are Darien's brother. I was sure, with how cool you are, that you would have been mine. Good news is you probably still have powers you could get back."

"Wait, what? You think I have powers too?" Sammy asked. He was really excited by the idea. He wanted to be part of everything too.

"It's possible," Darien said. "In my first life, mine didn't develop until I was fifteen. You may be growing into them." He paused and accessed his Golden Crystal again, unlocking the ability for Sammy's powers to manifest when they were ready. "We will have to see what happens now that I restored your ability to develop powers."

"Thanks!" Sammy said. "I turn fifteen soon. I can't wait to see what I can do."

Serena shook her head, "I don't want you putting yourself in danger so young."

Sammy rolled his eyes, "You can't tell me you wouldn't fight at my age."

She shrugged. She had to admit that he was right.

When it was time to go home, Kunzite took one look at Darien's face and invited Sammy to come sleep on his couch at his apartment. Sammy quickly accepted his offer.

~ Reviews = Love


	31. Your Highness

Blueeyedevil06 thank you for your help writing this chapter. It is better because of you.

Chapter 31 - Your Highness

"Kunzite really is a great Head General." Darien stated to Serena as he shut the door after everyone left.

Serena smiled at him laughing and said, "You're just saying that because he got Sammy out of here tonight."

"Yup!" Darien stated. "I have no problem admitting that I wanted Sammy out of the apartment tonight". Darien paused, "Wait, do you want sex tonight? I don't want you to ever feel like you have to." He realized teenage male hormones might be hard to keep up with.

Serena rolled her eyes and said, "Either we are having sex, or I am going to have to take care of myself. I should point out that I left all of that stuff back at my apartment."

Darien's jaw dropped, "Wait, you…" And now he was even harder.

"Yes, and I did it fantasizing about you." she easily admitted.

"Fuck, Serena! That… that is so hot." Darien had grown incredibly hard. He was liking the verbal foreplay already.

Serena shook her head and said, "No, it's 'Fuck, Your Highness. That's hot.'"

Darien's pupils were wide, "What were your fantasies, Your Highness?"

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you." she replied. She gave him a thoughtful look and said, "There were so many." Darien started internally cursing himself out for not asking her out sooner. "I definitely had the tutor fantasy of you, for one."

"Tutor fantasy?" He asked. She just raised her eyebrow at him. He amended his question, "Tutor fantasy, Your Highness?"

"Yes, tutor fantasy." She moved to pick up the book the generals had thrown at her. "Ouch!" she said, then sucked on her finger. "I got a papercut. It turns out I needed to be protected from this book after all."

Darien chuckled and said, "Your Highness, I would like to try something, if I may." He then took her finger and without breaking eye contact kissed her papercut and released some of the energy from his Golden Crystal. Her cut glowed a bit and then it healed.

"Talk about kissing it and making it better. That is incredible that you can do that!" Serena smiled at him.

"I remembered being able to heal. I am glad I was able to do it. It may come in handy with the fighting that is to come," he said. He hated the very idea of her getting hurt.

Serena saw his expression grow troubled, so she sat on the couch and opened the book up. She said, "Well, back to my fantasy. It started with you telling me that you wanted to tutor me and inviting me to your apartment. While I am studying, like this," she pretended to read her book. "I notice that you have grown hard. Now remember this is a fantasy and not how I would react in real life." Darien nodded and she continued, "I set down my book like this, and I turn to you and ask if you would like me to do anything about your hard on. You say yes, I slip off my panties and unzip your pants. I pull out your cock and stroke it. Then, still wearing my skirt, I slide your cock inside of me and ride you. Hard. I do that until I am able to get myself off with your name falling from my lips."

Serena reached over and unzipped his pants. "You're rather large. So, if you are going to want me to tell you any more of my fantasies, you will need to sit like that. I imagine your jeans are rather constricting."

Darien thought about what she said. There were more fantasies? How did he possibly miss that she was so attracted to him? She did those things picturing him. That was incredibly hot to think about. But mostly, he wanted time back. He wanted more time loving her.

Serena smirked, "There were more. Would you like to hear about another?" He nodded. "Well, I had one of you in the shower. You told me you thought I was incredibly sexy, pushed me up against the tiled wall and took me. The water ran down your body, and I licked it up."

Darien wanted her, but he realized he didn't know how to proceed. Serena had brought it up this time. He wasn't sure how to now.

"I have a different fantasy now." She told him. She pulled at his arm and walked him back to the bedroom. She stood in the middle of his floor and whispered to him, "It's of you completely letting go and taking me. I want what you want. If you go too far or do something I don't like, I will tell you. I want, what you call your animal and your inner caveman, to come out and play with me. I'm a superhero. I'm tougher than most girls. This is where you say, 'Yes, Your Highness.'"

"Yes, Your Highness," he growled out. He had noticed that, once he had Endymion's memories, he was less timid around her. He wanted to give her everything she desired. It just was a bonus that she desired him. "As you wish."

He let his voice go down an octave and demanded, "Take off your clothes. Slowly." He watched her press her legs together and then strip off her shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. She then removed her skirt.

She stood in front of him in a light pink lacy bra and panties. His eyes grew dark, and he gave her a sexy smirk, "As good as those look on you, they come off too. Now." She unhooked her bra, dropping it on the floor, and then slid the panties down, letting them pool by her feet, and stepping out of them.

Next he said, "Go get a condom from the drawer." She nodded and complied. He then started removing his clothes at a much faster pace. "See how hard your strip show has gotten me already?"

Serena nodded at him. She was so turned on, she felt like she could burst into flames.

"Put the condom on me and then crawl onto the bed." She complied with what he said. He loved the feeling of her rolling on his condom. It made his cock twitch. "Fuck, I want you, Your Highness."

He crawled onto the bed to join her with his cock bobbling and said, "Now I am going to take care of you. I am going to play with your body. Tell me what you like. I want to learn everything about how to please you."

Serena let out a sound that was almost a whimper. She wanted him so badly.

He spread her legs wider apart and kissed up from her knee to her pussy. He licked her and said, "You are just delicious." He then brought her to orgasm with his tongue and his teeth.

When she was panting out of breath, he locked eyes with her and said, "One." She did whimper then. He looked back at her pussy and said, "Seems like I can get you wet again with just one word. Good to know."

Next he ran his finger through her folds and lightly pinched her clit. "Now I get to watch your face as you come undone." He then buried one finger inside of her and used his thumb on her clit. He locked eyes with her and watched as he added another finger inside of her. Bingo, he thought. That got a wonderful reaction out of her. He fingered her and she rode them until she came completely undone again.

"Two," was all he said.

He then stroked himself a couple of times, lined his cock up with her pussy and slowly thrust in. She looked him in the eye and he was overwhelmed with her feelings. He caught on to what she was doing and let her into his mind too. He almost came immediately when the full force of the pleasure he had given her hit his mind.

"You want it hard?" he asked her, startled. He knew what her desire was, but he was a little shocked that she wanted him in that way. Shocked, but very pleased.

She came that night screaming out his name and cursing. When he had his orgasm, he came incredibly hard, rutting into her. He even growled once and discovered she really liked that. He collapsed next to her on the bed. They were both panting for breath.

"If you ever hold back when we could be having sex like that, I will transform into Sailor Moon and kick your ass." Serena said, once she was able to speak.

Darien gave her the cockiest look she had ever seen and said, "Three."

Later that night, he woke up when Serena was sliding his cock into her mouth. She said: I woke up and I realized I wanted you.

He pulled on her gently and pulled her up next to him on the bed. He reached over and pulled out a condom. "Well, if you want me, I have a better idea of how to help you with that."

He spread her legs, making sure she was wet, and then pushed his cock inside of her. He loved the way her pussy stretched as he pushed in. He buried himself in her, bringing them both to orgasm.

He whispered, "Four," right before they both fell back to sleep.


	32. Court-ing

Blueeyedevil06, that you for all of the edits! You are a fabulous beta.

Chapter 32 - Court-ing

Bazzite appeared before Beryl and bowed low. "My Queen, I am sorry I failed you. Please give me a chance to gather more energy. This time I will harvest energy from a single individual, targeting a person whose energy is going to increase the most."

Beryl gave her a slight approving nod and said, "Bazzite, I leave it to you."

Darien woke with Serena naked and in his arms. He realized that during the night, he had moved so that he was clinging onto her. He remembered her comment from yesterday about how waking up in the morning was not so bad when it was next to him. He smiled and grasped her breast, massaging it. He then moved down and suckled on her breast while massaging the other one. He began to roll her nipple in between his fingers. He smiled against her breast and said, "I know you're awake."

"Well, I thought if I pretended to stay asleep you would continue what you are doing," she replied matter of factly. "I really don't want you to stop." She moaned.

"Well, I was thinking that if you woke up we could reenact your shower fantasy. We have time," he said.

Serena sat up so quickly she almost bonked heads with him. She reached in the drawer and grabbed a condom and smiled at him. "What a marvelous idea."

"I'll be honest. I love the way you look when you are wet. I love to run my hands over your wet body," he admitted.

They made it into the shower. Darien was grasping her wet breasts and sucking on her neck. He then noticed her hickey on her breast was almost gone.

She said: I would love you to give me another hickey. I will enjoy remembering when you gave it to me too.

He sucked on her breast leaving a purpling bruise. He then pressed her up against the tile and raised her up, bracing his feet. He then buried himself in her all of the way to the hilt. She clung to him moaning.

He pounded into her as the shower washed over them. He knew he had everything he ever wanted in his arms. He smirked and added, riding his dick too.

They both came moaning and gasping for air. It was a new position for them and he reveled in being able to do new things with her.

They finished their shower, and he clung to her. He said, "Serena, you are everything to me."

"I am glad that you feel the same way I do," she replied.

That took him aback for a moment. She didn't see him reeling from what she just said. He tried to internalize that she wanted, needed, and loved him the same amount that he did her. He felt his chest expand and his eyes well up with tears of joy.

Darien made her breakfast as she got dressed, and then they ate together. He thought she looked beautiful that morning. Actually, she always looked beautiful to him.

They prepared to go to school, and he grabbed her school bag. He carried it down and placed it in his car. He drove them to school. He was proud when he parked his car, and she got out beaming. She was his. Forever.

Shortly after they got there, Molly skipped over to Serena and said, "Rui is a student here now!"

"No way! That's fabulous," Serena replied. "It must be great to have a sister here."

"I thought you were an only child." Andrew said.

Molly smiled at him, "I am. We have known each other since our mothers had us in Mommy Time when we were six months old."

They all walked over to watch her play tennis before school. She played against anyone who stepped up to try against her. She was in a tournament in a week, and she wanted to practice her serve.

They watched a sleek sports car drive up and Bazzite got out of the car. Molly and Andrew ducked down immediately and hid from her sight.

Serena panicked, and Darien squeezed her hand. He felt the nervous energy rolling off of her. She desperately wanted to stop Bazzite but didn't want to give her identity away.

Bazzite scoffed after watching Rui play tennis for a couple of serves. She stepped up and served the ball so hard that Rui didn't even get a chance to swing at it. Rui stumbled and dropped her racket on the court.

Bazzite introduced herself saying, "I am Masato Jaakuna, and I can help you."

She reached down to pick up Rui's tennis racket and whispered, "Hear me, my monster. Take control of this racket. Raise Rui Saionji's energy to its highest level and take it all away." She watched as the spell took control of the racket. She then picked it up and handed it back to her. She said, "Focus on putting your weight behind the ball."

"Yes, I will!" She then took the racket and fell completely under its spell.

Masato Jaakuna asked, "Who is willing to go up against her next?"

A bunch of the guys scuffled, one of them managing to grab a racket and make it onto the court first. "I will!" He then blushed when he looked at Rui.

She served the ball, and it hit him hard in the shin, knocking him down. Rui was thrilled with the power she had behind her serve. She turned to thank the woman, and when she did, she was nowhere to be found.

She then proceeded to decimate guy after guy at tennis. Many of them she struck with the ball. One very unlucky one was struck between his legs and limped off the court with tears in his eyes.

Rui reflected on her new powerful serve and said, "This feels great."

Molly came out from hiding and looked at Serena with sorrow in her eyes. She was worried for her friend.

Serena whispered to her, "I will fix this and make it better. She won't have all of her energy drained by Bazzite."

Molly said, "Thank you. After school, I will show you where she practices. You won't be exposing yourself there."

Serena nodded, and they all headed to class.

Darien grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together, carrying her things to class for her. On the way, they ran into Cleo.

Cleo walked right up to Darien, ignoring Serena, smiled and said, "So, when you finally get bored of her, give me a call." She handed him a piece of paper with her number on it.

Darien was able to feel the hurt and anger radiating off of Serena. He knew he would never be able to stand to see her hurt. He wouldn't let this go.

Before Serena could even make a comment he called, "Hey, Cleo!" He then took the piece of paper and threw it to the floor once she was looking. "I'm not interested."

"You're just saying that because she's standing there. Call me later, and we'll meet up." Cleo replied.

Darien laughed at her and said, "If you think there is any possible incarnation of you that would interest me in the slightest, you are fooling yourself." He smiled at Serena and spoke to Cleo, "She's it for me."

Serena smiled up at him, and this time, he felt her joy directed at him. Directing her anger at Cleo, she said, "Cleo, you're wasting your time." She looked Cleo in the eye and said, "He's mine. Try that again, and I will kick your pansy ass. And, just so you know, I will win."

Darien sent a mental message to Serena: Damn, that was sexy. She was the only one who ever made him feel wanted in his whole life. He craved it.

Darien and the guys had a Kendo tournament after school that day, and they all packed the gym to watch them.

Serena watched him beat his opponents time after time. She smiled over at her brother who had come to watch them all too.

When there was a break in the meet and Darien wouldn't be up again for a while, Serena slipped out with a very nervous Molly. She didn't want to leave her friend worrying, and she knew that everyone else would prefer to stay and watch the guys.

They headed out to go see Rui and figure out what was going on with her.

Serena asked, "So, this is where she comes to take lessons every day after school?"

Molly replied, "Yes, it is. Let's go sign in at the front desk. I have been here before." She looked at Serena with concen in her eyes.

They arrived at the tennis courts only to see a man laying on the ground whimpering in pain. Others were watching nervously.

Rui said, "And, you call yourself a Pro. What a joke!" She went to serve the ball again, and Molly stepped in the way.

"Stop it!" Molly demanded.

The man on the court tried to quickly get up and hobble away.

Rui looked through Molly as if she didn't even recognize her. She said, "Get out of my way," and went to serve the ball at her.

Serena saw Bazzite off to the side and yelled for Molly to hide. She didn't want Bazzite going after her friend over an old jealousy.

She watched as Bazzite stood back and said, "Energy level peak! Do it, Tesuni!"

Rui's tennis racket fully activated. Tesuni emerged and took its full form draining her of her energy. Rui collapsed on the court. The monster stated, "Now all of your energy belongs to the great ruler!"

"I knew it was a monster!" Serena said. Then she yelled, "Moon Prism Power Make Up!" And she transformed into Sailor Moon.

Tesuni yelled, "Little wretch!" and then it served an energy ball at Sailor Moon that completely encapsulated her, trapping her.

Serena panicked. She didn't think to bring back up, and she couldn't move. She then felt Darien's anger overwhelm her, and she was relieved. He was on the way to help her. Serena knew she could deal with his anger over her going unprotected later. Right now she knew help was coming.

Tuxedo Mask arrived at the tennis court and confronted Tesuni. "It looks like you are having fun. I think I'll join you," he said.

Tesuni was more than glad to add him to her collection. She blasted dark energy ball after dark energy ball at Tuxedo Mask. She grew angry as he dodged every single one. He knocked her down with his cane. The evil energy holding Sailor Moon captive released her immediately.

Tuxedo Mask then threw one of his roses at the monster, distracting her while Sailor Moon charged her tiara.

She yelled, "Moon Tiara Action!" And she sent her tiara at Tesuni destroying her instantly.

Rui's energy was restored, and she woke up. She wasn't aware of anything that had happened since that morning. Molly was just relieved that Rui was back to herself. She had come out of hiding to comfort her friend.

Darien fumed that Serena had put herself in danger and hadn't taken any back up. He went back to his meet and beat every opponent. His anger fuelled him to win decisively that day.

Later that day, Serena didn't take as much joy as she expected when she won the bet she had placed on him to win.

Darien took her to his apartment and strode in throwing both of their bags to the ground. "What the hell were you thinking?!" he demanded to know.

"I was thinking that everyone was busy, and Molly was hurting," Serena replied and stomped her foot.

"Any one of us would have gone with you! I would have forfeited every match to be there to protect you," he told her.

"I know! I know, and I made the wrong choice. I should have told someone else to come along. I thought I could handle it." Serena sighed, and her shoulders dropped. "I never wanted to worry you. That wasn't what I was trying to do. Molly was hurting, and I helped her. I don't know how to be anything else than what I was today. I didn't want to bother anyone." She grew agitated, "Dammit, I am not used to having help! I am the one who protects my friends. I am the one who acts when others hint at wanting to do something. What do you want from me?! I don't know how to be anything other than this!"

"Serena, I want to wrap you up in bubble wrap and keep you safe! I want to protect you at all costs. I want to fucking kill everything in this universe that would threaten you. You are what is important. If I lose you, I have nothing! When you threatened Cleo today, it wasn't just sexy. It made me feel wanted, and it was amazing. I was passed over in the orphanage countless times. That did something to me. I feel that I need to be the best in order to prove I am worthy of anything. With you, I feel like I matter. Let me matter and protect you. What am I if I can't protect the most important thing in my life?" Darien asked. "I don't want to change you. I want to be there with you. Side by side, always."

Serena's shoulders dropped and she said, "I will face every battle head on. I will have you there with me every time. I won't go off again without help again. I won't ever leave you alone."


	33. Being A Man

Again, thank you blueeyedevil06 for being my beta

There is a new chapter in Finding Love, Residency. Darien is doing his residency when he runs into Serena again. No Powers

Chapter 33 - Being A Man

Serena turned and picked up her bag that had been thrown on the ground by Darien. She looked at him and said, "I promised the girls that I would meet them at the Arcade to study. I hate to do this to you right now, but I have to head out. I imagine it will involve getting yelled at by them too."

Darien nodded and said, "I am sure it will, especially from Raye." He walked over to pick up his bag too. "I will walk you there. I will sit at the counter and do my homework."

Serena rolled her eyes, "I promise I won't go running off like that again."

"I believe you. I am just not ready to let you out of my sight right now." Darien said.

Sammy came out of his room and asked, "Is it safe to come out? I didn't want to step into the middle of that fight. By the way, I am on Darien's side on this."

Serena sighed, "I am on his side too. I was wrong."

"Why don't you grab some homework and come along? We can sit at the counter while your sister has 'girl time.'" Darien asked.

Sammy beamed and ran to get his things. Serena stepped into Darien's arms and sniffled. "It makes me so happy to see him smile like that. There wasn't a lot of that at my parents' house."

Darien held her, "I am glad you are so happy." He looked up and noticed Sammy was back. He said, "No comments about how this is gross?"

Sammy shrugged, "She's my sister, and I don't want to know everything you are doing together. But, Ryan was right on something. He asked why I was so grossed out that my sister was well loved. It got me thinking. I can handle the hugging and some of the kissing. I am just too happy for her to take issue with it."

Darien smiled and shook his head, "I thought we were going to have to keep Jadeite from going to your school and kicking his ass. I am glad that you both have become friends. It sounds like you two understand each other."

Sammy nodded, "And after you helped us both with math, the next day we had a pop quiz. We both did really well. His father was pleased to hear he was getting help from THE Darien Shields."

Serena looked puzzled, "The three of you studied together?"

"He didn't tell you?" Sammy asked.

Darien shrugged, "I thought if I mentioned it, I would sound like I did it for her. You were both studying and I joined you. It was nice to have someone to study with at home. I haven't really had that before. I just helped when you both got stuck."

Sammy stayed quiet. He didn't know how to explain that he was pleased Darien studied with them because he wanted to and not to impress his sister.

They all headed to the Arcade, and the moment they walked in the door Raye was yelling. "Serena, I can't believe you went and put yourself in danger like that! Next time take me with you." She crossed her arms and glared at Serena.

Serena sat down and was very apologetic, "I am sorry I ran off without superhero backup. I won't ever do that again. I promise. You can imagine that Darien wasn't pleased with what I did. Neither was my brother."

Serena pulled out her books and they all began studying. They seemed content with the fact that Darien had already handled her going off on her own. They trusted him to take her protection seriously.

Andrew poured coffee for Darien and got Sammy a hot chocolate. He then sighed and said, "So, what do I do about Molly? I wasn't competing in the meet. She went to Serena and not me. I get that Serena can do more, but she didn't even mention that anything was wrong."

Darien looked Andrew in the eye and said, "If I sound a little harsh, please know it is because I am trying to help." Andrew nodded and Darien continued, "Even before all of this happened, Serena was the one who fought for every single one of them." Darien sighed, he didn't know how to soften the blow. "What have you ever done that showed her you would fight for her? I understand why you didn't speak to Rita sooner. I really do. My question is why Molly didn't appear to know that you planned on breaking up with Rita?"

Sammy looked perplexed, "I am missing something. What happened?"

"They had feelings for each other. Andrew broke it off with Rita, and Molly asked what that meant for them. It appeared that Molly didn't know Andrew planned on ending things with Rita. She was just fighting being the 'other woman.'" Darien pointed out.

Andrew grew pale, "I thought she knew."

"Did you tell her?" Sammy asked him.

Andrew's shoulders slumped and he said, "I didn't think I needed to. I thought it would be obvious that I wanted to be with her."

Sammy laughed at that, "Don't you have a sister? I would think you would get how girls work. Sheesh, you should have even seen Serena. She lacked the confidence that Darien would actually want to date her. She's had a crush on him for years! They need to hear about your feelings, or they invent all sorts of scenarios in their heads."

Darien's head popped up, "Years?"

Sammy rolled his eyes, "Yup, you are an idiot for not asking her out sooner." He shrugged, "But, I guess you have realized that by now."

Darien reflected on how he could have been kissing her a whole lot sooner than he did. He liked her plump, soft lips. He also liked her plump breasts…. He rubbed his hands over his face. He needed to get it back together. He was sitting right next to her brother.

Sammy said, "Can we go back to how Andrew was an ass? I don't like the look you just had on your face, Darien."

Andrew began to object and stopped. He realized he didn't have a leg to stand on. "So, what do I do to make it up to Molly?"

"Be a man," was Sammy's blunt answer. "Even I know that. She's a strong woman. She doesn't need you to be a pushover. Show her that you can be relied on. You don't need super strength to do that. Just start fighting for her happiness. You are right. She should have gone to you too. You couldn't have battled the monster, but you could have listened to her fears."

Andrew sighed and said, "I just realized that Sunday, when I thought I was comforting her, I was actually pointing out that Serena would make sure everything was okay. I reassured her to trust in Serena. I didn't step up and make her feel more secure."

Sammy nodded and said, "Well, now that you know the problem, you can fix what you are doing. Step up and listen to her and try to help her when she needs it. Also, get to know Rui. They are obviously close. Be the kind of guy who cares to get to know the people who matter to their girlfriend. Darien is a great example of that." Sammy turned to Darien, "Any suggestions for Andrew on how to do that better?"

Darien almost let his jaw drop. He was floored. "I didn't realize that I was any good at that. I…"

Andrew scoffed, "Even I can see you are good at that. Sheesh! For one thing, Sammy is sitting here. Are you telling me that it was Serena's idea to bring him along?"

"Well, no. I asked. But, Sammy doesn't count. We've talked about this already. I see him as family and a good friend." Darien replied to Andrew.

Sammy couldn't contain his joy. He never thought he would be so happy to hear that it didn't count that he was Serena's brother.

That evening, when it was time to leave, Serena whispered in Mina's ear. "Do you mind if I go to Darien's apartment tonight? When he was yelling at me, it was really sexy."

Mina just laughed and said, "I'm not going to be home tonight either. Kunzite looked really hot kicking ass at the meet."

The girls all said goodbye and headed out. Serena walked over to Darien and Sammy. She said, "Can I come to your place tonight? I don't want to be in the apartment alone."

Sammy rolled his eyes, "Sure. That's why you want to come."

Serena looked at him and very frankly said, "I thought I would say that to spare you the truth. I was trying to cut down on what your therapist would have to help you work through."

Later that night, as soon as Darien closed the door to his bedroom, he asked, "So, what was the real reason?"

She gave him a heated look and said, "You were really sexy today when you were mad at me."

He walked over, picked her up by the waist and tossed her on the bed. He knew by now that she liked him to be more aggressive in his pursuit of her. He also had to trust she would tell him to stop if he went too far. He remembered thinking Endymion was bold in his perusal of Serenity. Frankly, he believed that Serena and Serenity were probably the same in how they wanted to be treated.

He pulled off one of her socks and then the other. He kissed the inside of each ankle as he did. He kneeled on the bed then and placed one of her feet on his chest, the other he laid out at an angle on the bed. He then ran his hands down her leg that he had up in the air. He slid the palm of his hand down her inner thigh stroking her panty line. He then ran his knuckles over the outside of her panties, teasing her clit. She mewled and rocked into his hand.

He pressed her hips down on the bed and said, "You stay put. I am going to punish you for being such a bad girl today."

He fully intended to make good on that promise.

~ Reviews are incredibly wonderful to receive.


	34. Andrew

Blueeyedevil06 thank you for the edits and the help making this chapter even better.

Chapter 34 - Andrew

Tuesday, right before lunch, Molly approached Serena nervously. "I was hoping that Rui could eat with us all. I wanted to check with you first though, that it would be okay. She would be the only one that doesn't know the secret. It would mean watching what we say."

Serena beamed at Molly and hugged her. "Already taken care of!" She took both of Molly's hands and smiled, "Andrew has already gone around to everyone and let them know. It isn't like we should be talking about that at school anyway."

Molly looked shocked, "Andrew did that?"

"Yup! He said that we shouldn't leave people out just because they don't know the secret. He knew it would hurt you to not invite her to sit with us." Serena said. "She isn't possessed today, so I am sure we will all enjoy hanging out with her." She winked at Molly.

Molly laughed, and they walked over to their group for lunch to discover that Rui was already there.

Rui smiled up at Molly and said, "Your boyfriend told me where you all sit. Thank you for including me."

Molly sat besides her friend, and when Andrew walked up a couple of minutes later, he sat between Molly and Darien.

Darien leaned over and said, "Well done."

Andrew chuckled and shrugged, "You and Sammy were right. And, by the way, it's a strange world when you are giving me dating advice."

Darien replied, "To you and me both."

Molly noticed that Rui looked nervous. Rui replied that she had traveled so much for tennis that she hadn't had a chance to make many friends. Molly just smiled and said, "Serena, did you know Rui traveled to England?"

Serena grew wide eyed and, "That is so cool! I want to hear all about it. What was your favorite place that you visited? Did you see the Eye? I want to ride that."

Rui answered her back and they all quickly got into a conversation about England and what they would do there.

Mina said, "My parents wanted me to move there when I was younger."

"What kept you here?" Rui asked.

Mina smiled at Serena and said, "You don't find a friend like her and move away. I stayed with some family friends for a bit until I could get my own place. Serena lives with me now too."

Molly wasn't surprised that Serena made sure that Rui was included in all of the conversations. She also filled her in when she didn't know the back stories.

Before lunch ended, Molly asked Rui to join her at the Arcade after school. Rui quickly agreed, and they all headed off to class.

Darien smiled at Serena and said: I am glad that Molly will have someone to hang out with while Andrew works. I was wondering if it would be good to invite her along to our training today.

You are so sweet to think of her, Serena replied. You are right though. Remind Andrew to pick up the bill for them both today. It will make Molly feel really special.

I will. I love you, Buns. He winked at her.

She replied: Love you, Stud Muffin. She chucked when she didn't hear a veto.

Serena sat with Mina and Raye in her next class. Before the bell rang, Michelle came up to Mina and asked, "Everyone is saying you're like a psychic with couples. I need to know if I should stay with Dan."

Mina sighed, she hated giving bad news. "He is very physically attracted to you. That's as deep as his feelings go. You need to decide what that means to you."

Michelle was visibly upset, "He wants me to… you know. I just..He said he loved me."

"I don't believe he does. You can decide if you even want to listen to me." Mina said.

"No, I asked you for a reason. Deep down I'm not surprised. Really, I am just hurt." Michelle replied.

MIna advised, "Think of it this way. At least you know, and you can make your decision based on the truth. Sex won't make him fall in love with you."

Class started, and Serena grabbed Mina's hand as a show of support. She knew she hated telling bad news to people.

At the end of the school day, Serena was walking with Mina when Michelle came running up to her and hugged her. She was visibly upset.

"Thank you for your help before!" she said, wiping a tear away. "I broke up with him, and he didn't even care. Then I found out he had a girlfriend at another school too."

Mina returned the hug, "I am so sorry he abused your trust like that. When you are ready to date again, you should date Steve. He has had a huge crush on you, and he's hot."

Michelle stepped back and said, "He does?" Mina nodded. "Oh my gosh! Thank you. Bye!" She then ran off.

Kunzite stood in front of them now with his arms crossed, "Steve's hot? What the hell?"

Mina rolled her eyes, walked up to him and whispered in his ear, "You are incredibly sexy. That beats hot any day."

"And, don't you forget it." he stated, mildly appeased.

"You know how much I like that body of yours." she replied. "If you forgot, I can show you later."

That got him to smile and let it go.

Darien showed up and took Serena's bag from her shoulder to put it on his. "Are you ready to head to training?"

"Yup, I am. It won't be as fun as when we train together, but I'll survive." she smirked at him.

He sighed, "You surviving is the point after all."

She placed her hand on his cheek and said, "I will be okay. I have all of you there for me."

"I know. I also know you died the first time." he said.

She nodded, "We ALL aren't going to be doing a repeat of back then. I am stronger now too."

"I know you are. Trust me. I remember what you were like back then. You are a lot stronger. Your strength doesn't change my desire to keep you safe." he said.

"I love you too." she beamed at him.

Molly and Rui sat in a booth at the Arcade. Andrew walked over and handed Molly a milkshake and asked Rui what she wanted. She replied that she wanted a strawberry milkshake.

When he left, Rui said, "That is just too sweet! He already knows what you like!"

Molly laughed, "Actually, we have all been coming here for years. He knew what I liked long before we started dating."

"How neat! It would be nice to date someone who knew me that well." Rui said.

Molly agreed, "It is nice. He has been friends with Serena since they were four. A boy stole her toy at the park, Andrew shoved him down and took it back. He's been like a brother to her ever since then. Because of that, I have gotten to know him over the years."

Molly had a great time talking to Rui. When they went to pay so they could head home and work on their homework, Andrew just smiled at them. He said, "It's on the house." Molly blushed and kissed his cheek. She told him she would call him later that night.

Later that night, when Molly called Andrew, she admitted to him her worries. She knew she was part of the group, but she didn't know where she fit in. She didn't have any fighting skills or special abilities.

Andrew said, "Tell me about it. I have five friends that transform into superheroes. It doesn't leave me feeling very manly." He sighed. "Truth is though, that you are the most normal thing Serena has in her life. You know the whole secret, and you have a different perspective. I think you will be a huge help to her. Maybe not physically, but definitely emotionally."

Molly paused and thought about that. "You have a really good point. I didn't even think about how weird this all is for her. I will definitely ask her how she is feeling about all of the changes and about Beryl."

Andrew smiled and said, "You have always been there for her. I think you need to have some girl time for just the two of you. Queen Serenity obviously thought you were important to her if she had you reincarnated too."

"How did you get so smart?" she teased.

Secretly, he was overjoyed at her statement. "I am a whole three months older than you. It must be an age thing."

That night, when she hung up the phone, she was glad that she had Andrew to talk to about everything. She felt so much better. She decided to give Serena a call and check on her.

Serena answered her phone after the second ring. She said, "Oh, they claim they are trying to help me, but I think I almost died!"

Molly was instantly concerned, "What in the world happened?"

Serena sighed and said, "They made me do push ups! I hate those. If I am lucky, my arms will fall off. They hurt!"

Molly chuckled, "You know Darien is going to make this really hard on you. Deep down he wants you to give up and not fight." Molly pointed out. It made her a little sad that Serena was fighting so hard to not be like Molly, on the sidelines.

"I would be fine with giving up. The problem is that I have power. How would I ever live with myself if one of them got hurt, and I wasn't at least trying?" Serena asked.

"Wait, you feel obligated to fight?" Molly said.

Serena said, "Kind of. I know deep down you want to fight too. Why?"

Molly nodded, even though she knew Serena couldn't see it. "I feel left out. Don't get me wrong, you never made me feel like that. I have realized that I will be left behind when you all go off to save the day."

"Is that even true?" Serena asked her. "You can't fight, but who says you won't be there sometimes? You were at the last battle. You were the one who helped me find Rui."

"But, I couldn't do anything." Molly countered.

Serena huffed, "That's not true. You have no idea how glad I was that you were there. You would have called for help if Darien didn't show up. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You aren't. I was thinking about it right as he arrived." she said.

She could hear the smile over the phone. She said, "See? I know I can always count on you. I would also point out that you are the only one I am not mad at right now. You didn't stand by while Darien made me do all of those push ups."

Molly laughed at that. "I am glad that you aren't mad at me." She paused and her gaze drifted to the invitation her mother had put on her desk. "Serena, I think I may actually be of help right now. You know how my mom gets invited to things because she runs that jewelry shop?"

"Yes."

"Well, we are invited to a Ball on Friday. Princess D from the Kingdom of D is the honored guest. She will be showing off her legendary secret treasure. They are the top producer of precious stones. We know you have the Legendary Silver Crystal, but Beryl doesn't. Doesn't that seem like somewhere she would send Bazzite to strike next?" Molly pointed out.

"Oh. My. Gosh! You are right! That does sound like the next place she will attack. We will have to have a team meeting. I definitely want to get into that party. Maybe someone will have an idea. Looks like you are going to be at another battle." Serena paused and said, "We are going to have to figure out how to disguise you enough so that Bazzite doesn't recognize you. Oh! We all get to go shopping together! Yea."

When Molly hung up the phone that night, she realized that Andrew was right. Serena did really need her.


	35. Moving

Thank you blueeyedevil06 for being my beta

Chapter 35 - Moving

Darien looked at everyone as they sat in his living room. Never in his life did he think he would need more space because of everyone that he wanted to have over. He had gotten a relatively modest apartment when he got the one he currently had. The rent wasn't cheap, but he could afford to pay much more.

Before everyone had come over, Darien had gone off on his own to talk to the apartment manager of his building. He heard one of the Penthouses was vacant, and he was considering renting it. He wanted more room for everyone. He also wanted to give Serena a bigger space. She was a Princess, and he wanted her to start to feel like one. He would have rooms for some of the others to stay over from time to time too. He wanted Serena to start using his place more. That, he admitted, was partially because of his desire for her. Also, It would give them better access to the roof. They were superheroes after all.

He smirked. He would tell Sammy tonight that they were moving. He hoped that would be nicer for Sammy too. There would be more space in between their bedrooms.

Serena called the meeting to order and held up Molly's invitation to the ball. "Molly told me about this ball last night. It's on Friday for Princess D, and she is going to be showing off her legendary secret treasure. She pointed out that we all know I have the Legendary Silver Crystal, but Beryl does not. Molly thought the next attack would be there."

Molly's jaw almost dropped when the whole group started talking and making plans. Not one person voiced an objection to her idea.

Luna spoke up a while later, "I think I should take you to the command center soon. You would be able to help me search for ideas there. It would be nice to do that tomorrow when they are training again after school." Molly quickly agreed, and the time was set for her to meet up with Luna.

Serena then voiced her secret joy, "So, the training will have to be cut short. We will need to get the proper dresses for the party." She tried to look like she wasn't relieved by that.

Luna did a flip and sent Serena a pen, "Actually you can use that. It's a disguise pen. It will be good to hide all of your identities from Bazzite if she shows up."

Serena visibly deflated, "Yea, that will work. I guess that gives us more time to train too."

Darien smiled at her, "It sure does, Buns."

She fake cheered. No one was fooled by her enthusiasm.

That night after everyone left, Darien asked Sammy to join him in the living room. Sammy sat on the couch. Darien then pulled up the floor plan for the Penthouse on his computer. He handed Sammy the laptop and said, "That's our new place. It's empty now, and the building manager said we can move in whenever we are ready.

Sammy's eyebrows shot up and he said, "Wow, you really hate that Serena went to the apartment with Mina tonight don't you?"

Darien chuckled, "That's one of the reasons. We also need more space for our meetings. Half of us were sitting on the floor."

"True, but no one will believe that's why." Sammy countered.

Darien shrugged, "She is a Princess. She needs to start feeling like one."

Sammy smirked, "For my own peace of mind, I will just take you at your word. No one else will."

"Yes, I want to convince her to stay here more. Everything seems empty without her here." he admitted.

Sammy smiled, "That I believe, and I can handle that reason. So, when do we move?"

"I am thinking about Saturday. Is that okay for you?" Darien asked.

Sammy chuckled, "Yea, unlike Serena, I wasn't possessed by a clock. I still have boxes I haven't bothered to unpack. I will be ready."

Darien laughed at Sammy's way of putting things. He said, "You do realize I remember you being my brother too. I got all of my memories back. Not just ones of Serena. I can tell something is wrong. What's bothering you?"

"I didn't want to bring it up, because I know you are working on it. I really like it here with you. I don't want to go back to my parent's house." he admitted.

"I had an idea on that. I saw you made the top grade in your school on the latest standardized test. Do you mind if I take more credit on that than I deserve? I was thinking I would call your parents to give them an update. I am hoping they will want you to stay with me to keep your grades up so high."

"Go for it. It just helps me get what I want. I would prefer they don't make it harder for you to marry Serena. When are you going to propose, by the way?"

Darien hopped up and ran to his room and back quickly. He then opened a ring box and showed Sammy, "I already got her the ring. What do you think?"

Sammy let out a low whistle, "Wow, that thing is huge! Showing off?"

Darien smirked, "Just a bit. I want her to be able to have the biggest ring of anyone she knows."

Sammy said, "She can just punch someone in battle with that and knock them out!" He then paused and said, "She really will feel like a Princess with you. I'm glad."

Darien smiled, "I am really glad you approve. I wanted to tell you I would be proposing to her. It would be silly to ask you for permission, but I wanted you to know. It's your support we will want."

"Thanks. Hey, what was I like back then?" Sammy wanted to know.

Darien shrugged, "In a way, you are much the same. We did things together growing up though. We would go hunting together, and we had tutors that gave us lessons. That included swordplay. You were a fast learner then too. You were actually better than me at archery. You weren't jealous that I was the Crowned Prince. Our plan was for you to be on my counsel and to keep an eye on people. You were great at spying. Hence, how you found out about Beryl's plans, I guess."

"That's so cool. It's strange that you have memories of all of us that we don't have." Sammy pointed out.

"I get that, so I don't bring it up much. Really, it just helps me. I have trouble relying on people. Being an orphan really solidified to me that I could only rely on myself. Having those memories makes it easier to rely on everyone. It's a good way to get over my trust issues." he said.

Sammy went to stand and paused, "I shouldn't help you with this, but I am going to. Serena has been afraid of coming off too needy since she was a child. Our mother told her she was constantly. You are going to have to tell her you want her to stay over. She will resist the urge to ask every time."

"Thank you. You have no idea how grateful I am that you moved in here. This is just one of the reasons. I will make sure she knows the truth." Darien sighed. How could he convey to her that he liked when she needed him? It made him feel secure and loved. He didn't remember what that felt like in this lifetime.

That night, after they headed off to bed, Sammy texted Serena to call him whenever she was finished talking to Darien. He didn't care how late it was.

She called and he answered on the first ring. She asked, "So what's up?"

"I know what you are doing. You are trying not to be needy around Darien." he said.

She nodded and realized he couldn't see her, "Yes, I don't want to be a burden."

"You aren't. We talked tonight about his past a bit. I think he would like it if you were needy. He mentioned that he was on his own as an orphan."

"So, you think that I need to make sure he feels needed? I see your point. Thank you so much for watching out for him. I am glad you have each other." she said.

Sammy paused. He knew he couldn't give away the two big secrets he learned tonight, but he wanted to encourage her. "Serena, he wants you in his life forever. Don't ever be afraid to let him know you want that too."

"I won't be anymore." Serena told him. They wished each other good night and headed off to sleep.

The next morning, when Darien picked Serena up for school, she had an extra bag with her.

"What's this for?" he asked.

She smiled at him and said, "I thought I would bring more of my things over to your place." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Darien captured her chin in his hands and looked her in the eye and said, "Don't ever be afraid to tell me you want to stay over. I would have you move in today if I thought you would."

She blushed and said, "Okay. If you really mean it, I'll move in with you."

He was shocked. Shocked, but incredibly pleased. He leaned forward and gave her a searing kiss. "How about you move in with me on Saturday? I have something I am working on. You are, of course, more than welcome to stay over before that."

Serena gave him a beautiful smile and said, "I love that idea!"

"Mina won't mind?" he asked. He couldn't help himself.

Serena rolled her eyes and laughed, "She is the Princess of Venus. She's pissed I haven't moved in with you already."

"I knew I really liked her." He then put the car in drive and headed off to school.


	36. The Big Question

Finding Love has a new chapter titled "My Best Friend's Sister"

blueeyedevil06 thank for being my beta, but even more than that thanks for being my friend.

Chapter 36 - The Big Question

Serena dropped her bag on the ground of Darien's apartment and flopped on the couch. "I'm exhausted! I can't believe you insisted that I do push ups. Could you just see me in battle saying 'I challenge you to a push up contest for the fate of the world!'" She scoffed.

Darien chuckled and said, "I have you do them for morale. Everyone was howling with laughter when you were fussing about it. That and you are better at it than you realize. When you work that hard as the princess we are all meant to protect, it makes them work harder too."

She sighed and laid back on the couch, "Well, my arms hurt again. I think you are going to have to feed me dinner." She dramatically tried to lift her arms and huffed. "Is Sammy here?"

"No, he's over at Ryan's right now. I talked to his father, and I feel confident that he won't be giving Sammy any problems. He was rather impressed with Sammy. I let it go at that for now." Darien informed her.

She smiled at him and said, "You really are taking good care of him. I appreciate it. I also find it rather sexy."

"What do you find sexy?" he asked, raking his eyes over her exposed legs.

"Everything that you do for me. It makes me feel special. Now come over here, and I will show you."

"I would love to, but I have homework to do." he replied.

She smirked, "Go ahead, and do your homework. I will just sit here and watch you."

"Actually, I was going to study at my desk," he said.

Serena tried to hide her excitement, "Okay, go ahead and study there."

Fifteen minutes after he had sat down to study, he heard Serena come out of his bathroom and lay down on the bed. He turned and leaned back in his chair to ask her if she needed anything. And when he did, he managed to fall right out of his chair.

As he lay on the floor he said, "Serena, where did you get that outfit?" She was wearing a deep blue teddy that pushed up her breasts and covered very little.

She pouted, "You don't like it?"

He got up from the floor and stalked over to her, "I fucking love it."

"I got a couple of new things. I can't wait to show them all to you." She gave him her most innocent look.

"I can't wait to see you in them all." His hands roamed her body, and he pinched her nipples.

"It's a good thing I'm moving in then." She paused, "I really want to be here with you. I hate falling asleep without you."

"I am glad to give you anything you desire. And now, what is your desire?" He gave her a heated look.

"Ooh, I would love it if you punished me again like you did on Monday," she requested.

"Have you been a bad girl?" he asked, stroking her legs.

She nodded, "I lied to you. I didn't tell you how badly I wanted to stay the night. I detest being away from you."

"I'll make sure you never want to leave again," he growled. He loved how much she wanted to be with him. It made him feel adored. He craved it.

When she came screaming his name and cursing, she desperately tried to catch her breath. "I never want to leave this bed again. Ever."

Darien smirked. Her responses to their time in bed together made him feel proud. He had been terribly worried about being able to please her in bed. Apparently he needn't have worried. He was glad.

"You have the cockiest look on your face right now. I'm not complaining. You've earned it. I am just pointing it out." She kissed him on his shoulder.

"Once we can walk, we should have dinner. Then I still need to do homework." He said.

She smiled, "I know. I just had to make sure that I could distract you if I wanted to."

He pulled back and looked her in the eye, "You are my first focus always. Never doubt that."

"I don't. It just feels good to have such tangible proof." She winked, "It felt really, really good. Amazing actually."

By the time Sammy got home that night, Darien was working on his homework, and Serena had just finished hers up and was sprawled on the couch reading manga.

Sammy laughed and said, "I have to admit it. I am glad we will be living together again."

Serena beamed at him and replied, "So am I. You should have seen how happy Mina was to have me moving out. It almost hurt my feelings."

"If I was ever to have a second sister, I would want it to be her. She is fiercely loyal. She just wants you to be happy. He makes you happy." Sammy said.

Serena sat up and said, "I am more than just happy with him. I have in him something I had always hoped for, but was afraid that I wouldn't have. We are a team. We make each other better just by being together."

"You're damn right we do." Darien stated, as he walked into the room. "How was it with Ryan? How was his father?"

Sammy gave Darien an indulgent smile, "We had a good time, Dad. His father was really pleased that Ryan now is associating with you. He was over the top kind to me."

Serena started crying.

Darien panicked, "What's wrong?"

"We are just so much like a family. It makes me so incredibly happy." She got up, walked over to Darien and kissed his cheek.

Darien gave Sammy a questioning look, and Sammy shrugged at him and broke out into a smile. Darien knew this wasn't typically a romantic time, but he knew her.

He shocked Sammy by pulling the ring box out of his pocket. Well, subspace pocket. He kept it on him at all times.

He held her tightly and said, "Buns, we are family in every way that matters. I love Sammy as a brother. You both make my whole world for me. I love you. It's the three of us together. Well, until Sammy falls in love and marries. But, right now, I realize I only need one thing to make my life complete. Will you marry me?"

He got down on his knee in front of her and held up the ring. She started crying harder and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you."

While Darien held Serena, Sammy called Kunzite. Without any greeting Sammy said, "I need to sleep there tonight. Darien proposed to Serena."

Sammy went and grabbed an overnight bag as Serena blushed to her ears.

Right before Sammy left, Darien said, "You are a good man."

"Just remember to thank Kunzite. He told me I could call him in case of an emergency." was Sammy's reply.

"He's my head General for a reason."

Sammy looked thoughtful, "I wonder if he would take orders from me. I am a prince after all."

Darien just laughed, "He just did. Did you not realize that you basically commanded him to have you stay there tonight?"

"That's so cool!"

Darien just laughed at Sammy's response and grabbed his car keys.

Sammy looked puzzled, "Where are you going?"

Darien rolled his eyes and said, "I am not going to make you carry that bag though the streets this late at night. You're doing me a favor. I'm driving you."

When Darien got back, he tossed the keys to the side. He dashed through the apartment to find Serena. "Buns, I realize I was in such a hurry to get rid of Sammy that I didn't tell you….."

He found her sitting on his floor leaning against his bed on a group chat. All of the girls were squealing and remarking on her ring. Serena was beaming. She looked like she could barely contain her joy. He pulled out his cell phone and snapped a picture of her. He wanted this memory for the rest of his life.

Shortly after he got home, she hung up and smiled up at him. "I am just so happy."

He walked over and sat next to her. "I am glad. I know we haven't been dating long, but I have had that ring most of the time we have been dating. There was never any question in my mind that I would ask…or beg you to marry me."

She laughed, "You didn't have to beg. I am so happy to be marrying you." She leaned her forehead against him.

She then shifted so that she was straddling his lap. "Now, there was something else I wanted to do tonight." she said, tapping her chin. "What was it? Hmm…I remember." She ground against him and kissed him, tugging at his hair.

"Fuck, Serena." He paused. He had been about to ask her what she wanted, but then he remembered. She wanted him to be more bold, to remember she wanted him too.

He ran his hands down her body and whispered in her ear, "Take off your clothes."

She jumped to do just that, and he followed suit. He loved looking at her naked body. He said, "Serena, do you know how many times I fantasized about your naked body?" He ran his hands over her breasts. "I pictured you so many times. Before I even knew what you really were to me, I loved you, wanted you." He rolled her nipples between his thumbs and fingers. "I never thought I would actually be able to have you. Hold you. I thought my dirty thoughts about you were all I would have."

She mewled in pleasure and arched her back.

He took her and laid her down on the bed, "This is our bed now. I am going to make love to you in our bed."

Serena just nodded at him. She couldn't speak from his touches and caresses.

That night, he buried himself inside of her. He chased her orgasm like his life depended on it. When he came, he came harder than he had before. He was home. This was the rest of his life.


	37. FriDAY

blueeyedevil06, thanks again for being my beta

Author's Note: I am on Tumblr under the same pen name. If you are on there, you can find me and see the Penthouse floor plans I'm using. There is a link to a real building, and if you scroll down, you will find the Penthouse. It isn't necessary, but sometimes the visual is nice. Especially since I am moving them out of the apartment from the anime, and everyone was familiar with that one.

Chapter 37 - FriDAY

It was Friday, and Serena realized she was inappropriately pleased that the confrontation with Bazzite was coming that evening. It was three weeks to the day that she told her friends about her feelings, encouraged by Andrew. Since then she received... everything. She was a superhero. She had a sexy fiance, one that their love stretched back thousands of years. She also had a ring. A perfect, Tiffany, princess cut ring. She didn't know exactly how many carats it was, but she was pretty sure she could ice skate on it. It was huge. No part of her even pretended to be above flashing the ring to Cleo and Misty. She reveled in their jealousy. He was hers. Now she had proof. A whole lot of proof. She was looking forward to the ball. She wanted to dance with her perfect prince. She wasn't even sorry.

At lunchtime, Serena asked Nephrite where Lita was. He cracked a huge grin and said, "Suspended, for being totally awesome."

Serena looked immediately concerned and asked what happened.

With pride he said, "She overheard Cleo tell someone you must be pregnant if Darien asked you to marry him so soon. She jumped straight to Plan B."

Rui asked, "What's Plan B?"

"She punched her in the face. Knocked her down with one swing. My girl is amazing." he told her.

Mina smiled and reported, "I already got her math teacher to move the test to Monday. Once I told him why she was suspended, he said he would come up with an excuse to delay it. I didn't want her being forced to fail because of her suspension."

"Thanks. She was worried about that," he said. "It doesn't surprise me that he hates Cleo too. You should have seen the principal trying not to smile when they told him what happened. He actually had to cover his mouth to cover it up."

"I don't mean to be a jerk, but you are all proud of her for punching someone?" Rui asked.

Darien chuckled and said, "You are right to ask us about it. This isn't the first time she tried to start a pregnancy rumor about someone in our group. The first time, it was about Molly. Serena got her to retract the rumor over the threat of showing Cleo's mother a picture of her drunk. It worked but apparently didn't stop her now. I doubt she will try that again."

Nephrite added, "Lita takes anything said about Serena very personally. Serena was the first to befriend her. There were true rumors that she had gotten kicked out of her last school for fighting. Everyone was afraid of her. Everyone except for Serena. She befriended her at lunch the first day Lita attended school with her."

Molly smiled, "You should have seen Lita's happy face when Serena brought her over to join us. Now that you mention it, this is the first time she's punched anyone at school since I've known her."

"She said she wasn't so angry anymore once she had friends. She had become an outcast at her previous school." Nephrite said.

Rui grew quiet. She then asked, "Am I the only girl in the group that Serena didn't invite?" She wasn't upset, she was just curious.

Serena nodded and said, "Only because Andrew is awesome. It was so romantic that he made sure that you would join us for lunch. I am so glad he did." She gushed and smiled at Molly.

Darien had to hold back a laugh as he watched Andrew sit up straighter. Man, did he love his girl. She made three people happy with one statement, all in different ways.

"I am so happy for Molly. He paid for both of our drinks at the Arcade Wednesday. I thought that was so sweet of him." Rui said.

The conversation continued and Rui told them about her tennis match that weekend. She was flying out that night to prepare. Serena was relieved. She was worried that Rui was going to feel left out since they hadn't invited her to go with them that night. She decided to talk to Darien about letting her in on the secret. Molly trusted her and could use a friend when there was fighting going on and she was left behind.

After school, they all met up at the Arcade. Once Serena saw Lita, she ran up to her and hugged her. She said, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe how happy I am that you punched her! I shouldn't be, but I really am. I am sorry you got suspended though. Next time wait until after school."

The guys started howling with laughter and Kunzite said, "Serena, you are great!" He then looked at Lita and said, "Good job. I know Mina talked to you and thanked you. I thank you too. You did well protecting her."

Lita smiled and said, "I would have done it even if she wasn't the princess. That punch was just because of who Serena is to me as a friend."

Serena started to tear up, "That is the sweetest thing you have ever said!"

Raye chuckled, "We all really are scary."

"Says the girl who tried to light someone on fire." Jadeite said.

She shrugged, "I already alluded to that. I included myself."

"Oh, I wasn't correcting you. I was complimenting you." was Jadeite's reply.

Raye blushed and held his hand after that.

After they all ate together, Darien took the girls over to his place. His excuse was that he wanted to get something from the apartment before the girls took it over getting ready.

When he pressed the button for the Penthouse level and swiped a card, he made sure he was standing in front of the panel. He didn't want Serena to realize quite yet. Mina held her attention and secretly flashed him her Sailor V sign.

When they went to step out, Serena was startled and said, "This is the wrong floor."

Darien shook his head and said, "You deserve better than that apartment, and I can afford it." He opened the door to Penthouse A and said, "You girls should get ready here tonight. The moving company comes tomorrow to bring the rest of the stuff up."

Serena's eyes got huge, "This is amazing! We are really going to live here? Oh, no! We haven't even packed."

"That is what the guys are going to be helping me with while you girls hang out here." Darien announced.

Serena smiled at him, and her gaze then drifted to the room. "This place is… Darien I don't even know how to tell you how much I love it. It is overwhelming. I love the furniture that is here already too."

Mina smiled and handed Darien his credit card, "I am glad you liked it. There were limited options when I needed to have it right away. Darien gave me his credit card and told me to find things you would like. Wait until you see all of the rest of the stuff he bought you."

He laughed and said, "The credit card company called to tell me my card had been stolen, and some girl had gone on a shopping spree. I had to get them to unfreeze the card."

Serena looked startled, "Wait, that was the shopping you were doing when I called you to tell you I was engaged?"

Mina nodded and said, "I told you I was having a great time with someone's credit card. You just thought I was joking."

All of the girls hung back as Darien showed Serena around. They would look later. They wanted him to have this time with her. What he had done for her was a huge deal, and they wanted them to experience Serena's first walk through together.

Serena couldn't believe her eyes. She chuckled that it was easier for her to accept she was the Moon Princess than it was for her to believe she would be living there. It had four huge bedrooms all with walk-in closets. She learned the new term "Junior Master Bedroom" when Darien showed her where Sammy would sleep. She laughed when he explained that their bedroom was on the other side of the Penthouse. She knew Sammy would be pleased.

When he showed her the Master Bedroom, her jaw dropped. "This is huge!" she said, spinning around to take it all in.

He then showed her the attached bathroom and the his and hers walk-in closets. She looked at him and said, "I get my own walk-in closet?"

He smiled and said, "You do. I hope you know that I would give you anything."

She melted and hugged him. "You planned this wrong by bringing the girls too. I kinda want to have sex with you in this closet right now."

"The closet turns you on?"

"No, you do. I want you." she replied.

He looked down at her and whispered, "They wouldn't hear us."

"But, they would know!" she pointed out.

He shrugged, pressed her up against the wall, and said, "So?"

She slid off her panties, and he pulled out a condom.

"You carry those around with you?" she asked.

He replied, "Of course I do. I have an incredibly sexy fiance. I don't have any of my normal control when I am around you."

She raised her eyebrow at him and asked, "Should we try having sex up against this wall?"

They managed to make it back to the living room later with everything back in place. Serena even thought she might be able to hide what just happened. She should have known better with Mina there.

Mina took one look at her and said, "You get 'em, girl!"

Serena blushed then said, "It's a really amazing Penthouse."

Darien smirked and said, "And, I'm really glad she liked it."

"Did you just make a sex joke? Who are you?" Lita asked him.

He shrugged, "I'm a little less uptight. Having Serena around has changed me for the better. Kunzite mentioned it to me the other day."

Serena smiled at him and took his hand. "You really are wonderful."

A short time later, Darien headed out to go and pack up his apartment. He wanted to make sure he was the one who packed Serena's things. He also wanted an excuse to peak at the new lingerie too.

Mina had even purchased snacks and drinks, so they all sat around marveling at her new home and eating.

When it was getting time to go soon, Serena pulled out her Pen and said, "Moon Power, change us into princesses."


	38. May I Have This Dance

blueeyedevil06, thank you for being my beta

Finding Love has a new one shot "I Will Follow You Anywhere"

Chapter 38 - May I Have This Dance

"You don't think us, looking like princesses, is a little too on the nose?" Molly asked.

Serena shrugged, "We are going to a ball with our soulmates. We get to look like princesses. We work too hard for this city. We get to have fun too."

A short time later, the guys showed up to escort them to the ball. Darien had surprised everyone by ordering a limo.

Jadeite whispered, "Are you trying to make us look bad?"

"You are my generals. I am the Crowned Prince. I would think this is my role." Darien shrugged. He hadn't been trying to make the guys feel badly. He wanted to make sure Serena arrived in style.

When they opened the door, Luna was waiting and looking up at them. "You all look lovely. I am sure you will have no trouble getting into the ball."

Once they were at the consulate, Darien noticed they were receiving several glances. He offered Serena his arm and walked in proudly with her. He made sure to offer his right arm so her engagement ring would be on display. He hoped that would put off anyone else asking her to dance. He never shared well.

Bazzite surveyed her surroundings. Beryl had been very specific. Get the Legendary Silver Crystal. She had yelled that command at her. She was running short on patience. She knew her time was dwindling, and then Beryl would be through with her. She needed to succeed.

Once there they all got into positions, Amy and Raye went to keep an eye on the Princess. Raye would be able to use her psych abilities to sense danger, and Amy would be able to use her Mercury Computer to scan for evil.

Molly and Andrew were to stay away from the princess. They were sure Bazzite would be around her, and it was the best way to keep from being noticed.

Serena smiled as Darien took her hand and led her to dance. He held her closely, and they glided across the floor. Darien said: We danced at a masquerade on the Moon once. You look even more lovely now.

You are such a flatterer,she blushed.

He whispered, "When it is true, it isn't flattery."

When the song ended, they clapped for the orchestra and went to get some punch.

All of a sudden, a blonde woman, who looked like the princess, came running in clutching a box to her chest. Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury came running in after her.

Two guys from the security detail got to her first. The princess threw them off and was taken over by evil. She laughed, raised her hand above her head and said, "Whoever gets in my way will be a sacrifice to our great ruler!" She released evil energy, and it quickly spread through the room.

Luna jumped into Serena's arms and said, "Get out of the room, now!"

She and Darien ran out and were quickly followed by Princess D. She then tried to escape with the treasure.

Serena tried to hold her back and said, "Be careful! Get a hold of yourself!"

Princess D yelled, "Let go of me!" and pushed Serena over the railing.

Darien ran and barely caught Serena's hand before she fell. He was terrified. He clung to her as her hand began to slip out of his. Serena reached up with her other hand and clasped it around his wrist. She then helped him as he pulled her back to safety.

He whispered in her ear, "You wouldn't have been able to do that without the push ups."

She smirked and said, "No one believes that." She stepped back and yelled, "Moon Prism Power Make Up!"

Darien transformed into Tuxedo Mask, and they both went after the princess.

The evil energy came out of the princess in the form of Bazzite. Sailor Mars yelled, "Evil Spirit, be exorcised!" and launched a fireball. It passed right through her. "Why didn't that do anything?" she asked.

Bazzite sent a burst of evil energy at Sailor Moon, knocking her down. Darien saw red. She was obviously injured. He closed his eyes and called on his Golden Crystal. He wanted his sword back. Desperately. It appeared in his hand, and he leapt in front of Serena shielding her.

He pulled the sword back to strike at Bazzite and she solidified, ducked the sword and blasted at it with evil energy. She noticed Andrew and Molly off to the side. Kissing out on the balcony had seemed like a safe place to be when they thought of it.

Bazzite snatched at Molly's wrist, dragged her up and held her in the air. "I'm finally going to get rid of you."

Andrew had noticed that Darien's sword had skittered in his direction. He lunged for it, grabbed it and held it firmly in his grip. He then plunged it through Bazzite's chest. Killing her instantly.

Molly fell to the ground and looked wide eyed at Andrew. "You saved me."

"I couldn't let her hurt you." He wrapped her in his arms and asked, "Are you hurt?"

Meanwhile, Darien was embracing Serena as she slowly woke up. "What did I miss?"

Raye said, "Andrew was a total badass and killed Bazzite."

"Wow, I missed a lot." she replied. She stood on shaky legs.

Darien tried to maintain his calm demeanor. On the inside, he was frantic. She had gotten knocked out in the fight, and he couldn't take her to a hospital. He was even more glad that he was planning to become a doctor. He would be able to treat her at home.

Princess D woke too, and they didn't even stay to see the presentation of the Legendary Secret Treasure. They knew where the Legendary Silver Crystal really was.

Darien hovered over her as they returned home. Sammy had decided to stay at Ryan's that night. He didn't want to be stuck in a boxed up apartment. That way, he could have everything boxed ahead of time too.

Darien walked her to her room, and she dropped her transformation, removing the dress.

He sighed and said, "I was terrified when I saw you get hurt."

"I know. I am really sorry. I didn't know she could do that." she replied.

He removed her clothes and looked over her body. He wanted to make sure she had healed from getting knocked out.

She made a breathy moan, and he realized what he was doing. He had been so focused on her healing he didn't realize he had her naked on their bed while he touched her. He instantly grew hard.

"Don't ever get hurt like that again." he growled.

She then said, "What about this is a deterrent for me?"

"Good point," he replied. "How about this? I am going to reassure myself that you are unharmed. I am going to…"

Serena's head popped up off the bed and said, "You're going to play doctor?"

He chuckled, "I think I would lose my license for the things I plan to do to you."

"But I'm a willing patient," she replied.

Darien paused. He hadn't really thought about role play before. When he masterbated, he really only thought about having a very willing Serena. He guessed that was a form of role play in a way. She always acted on his desires. What he hadn't expected was that she would encourage him to expand his own desires. He had to admit though that she lived her whole life out loud and with so much energy. It shouldn't surprise him that she was the one initiating the more playful part of sex.

He slipped one finger inside of her panties, stroked her clit and she arched her back. He said, "You have to lay back and let the Doctor take care of you. I need to give you a thorough examination." He stroked her clit again, "Very thorough."

Serena nodded excitedly and said, "Yes, Dr. Shields."

"What seems to be the problem today, Miss Tsukino?" he asked, getting into his role.

"I think something is wrong with me. I am horny all the time. I am trying to figure out the cause, Dr. Shields." she replied. She rocked her hips, and his finger teased her clit again as if to show him her problem.

"That is a serious thing," Darien said. Hmmm… where to take this. Bingo. He reached down and pulled off her panties. "I will have to see what is going on down here. Well, look at that. You are incredibly wet right now." He pressed his finger inside her and curled it. She moaned and arched her back. "And you are so responsive to stimulus." He used his thumb on her clit and nodded seriously at her, "Miss Tsukino, did you ever know that you have a very tight cunt?"

She whimpered and rocked against him, riding his finger and moaning. "What is your diagnosis?"

"Oh, I just started my examination," he answered in a low throaty tone. He flexed his finger inside her again, and then added another. "This is just my digital examination. Next is a series of oral tests."

She moaned and rode his fingers, chasing her release. He curled his fingers inside of her and used his thumb on her clit. She came hard on them, was left panting and out of breath.

Darien smirked at her, he liked watching her coming undone, and it felt pretty damn good to get her to orgasm with two fingers and his thumb. He did that. He made her feel like that, he puffed his chest.

"My digital examination indicated that we need to run some more tests." He laid her open on their bed. He then lowered his mouth to her cunt and sucked on her swollen clit. He felt her get even wetter. He then proceeded to use his tongue on her.

She said: I am going to ride your face until I come dripping all over you.

You aren't kidding, you really are horny. He replied.

She rode his face as she orgasmed, and he didn't wait or speak. He just pulled out a condom, put it on and thrust into her. By this point, he was half crazy with desire. He fucked her hard and into the bed, grasping her breasts and using them as leverage. He was glad she was a superhero, and he didn't have to worry about hurting her. He kept up his relentless pace, driving himself into her over and over again. All he could think of was the look on her face when he satisfied her. He fucking loved it.

He pounded into her, and he heard her screaming in his head. Fuck, yes! Darien, yes! Oh…. Oh… yes, Yes, YES! He was driving himself into her when she came hard. He then chased his own orgasm for three more thrusts and joined her in bliss.

He collapsed to her side and pulled her close.

So, what is your diagnosis? She asked.

He replied: You are a very special case. I have given you a very thorough examination, and I have determined that you are, in fact, sexy as hell. I perscribe lots and lots of sex.

What if I ask for a second opinion? She replied playfully.

He growled, "I am the leading doctor in this particular field, and there will be no second opinion. I will, however, be filling your prescription personally."

That night, as he lay in bed with her, he held her tightly like he always did. He was so grateful she encouraged him to discover himself more and more each day.


	39. Transitions

Thank you blueeyedevil06 for being my beta

Chapter 39 - Transitions

It was Saturday night, and his old apartment was completely empty. The Penthouse had all of their furniture set up. Boxes still needed to be unpacked. Yet here he stood on the balcony outside of the Master Suit and looked over Tokyo. He had just hung up with the Tsukino's. He was livid.

He had been ready for a fight to keep Sammy with him. He had worked through countless possible arguments in his head in preparation for talking to his parents. What he hadn't prepared for, and what made him incredibly angry, was that they just let him go. No fuss. They just let him keep Sammy with him.

He closed his eyes, pictured himself in his old room tearing it apart and throwing things at the wall. It was his trick to control his emotions. He would mentally destroy his room then open his eyes and everything would be back in place. He wasn't as in control as he seemed. He just was good at pretending.

Serena stepped out onto the balcony and took his hand. She looked up at him with concern written all over her face, and he realized he was wrong. He wasn't good at pretending around Serena. She always saw through his stoicism. She saw him. She made him feel like he mattered.

He squeezed her hand and brought her closer to him, wrapping her in a hug and kissing the top of her head. He held her for a couple of minutes before he said, "Sammy can stay here for good. Your parents let him go."

She squeezed him even tighter, and said, "I am sorry. I can figure out what happened. I love that you are upset that they don't value him more."

"Aren't you upset too?" he asked, confused.

She looked up at him and said, "You forget that you have only known about their behaviour for a short amount of time. We have lived it long enough that we know what to expect. He won't be surprised. In fact, he will be happy because you want him here so badly."

"You agreed they may try and get in the way of a marriage if we fought them for Sammy." he pointed out.

"And that was true, if they fought for him. I just didn't think that they would fight. I didn't have the heart to say that in front of Sammy. Even though I think he already knew that." she said, trying to explain.

"They will sign marriage papers for us any time you want to marry." he informed her too.

She placed her hand on his cheek, smiled at him, and said, "So, smile. We are getting everything we want."

He did smile at that, "You are right. This is what I want. I just didn't think anyone could let go of either of you so easily."

"And I love that you feel that way." she kissed his chin.

He leaned down and claimed her mouth, deepening the kiss and savoring her taste. She was right. He had what he wanted here and in his arms. He would take what he was given and cherish it.

He pulled back and said, "So, do you like your new place?"

Serena smirked at him and said, "If I were the type of girl to like a huge, amazing penthouse, then yes. I love it. I think I need more dresses though. This feels like a place you wear a dress in."

He chuckled at her adorable observation and said, "I gave you a credit card that you never use. Go shopping and buy whatever you want. I want you to have everything. You have already given that to me."

A tear rolled down her cheek and she said, "I have everything in you too. What more can I want?"

"Some pretty dresses?" he prompted.

She chuckled, "Okay, those would be nice."

"So go on a shopping trip with the girls." He pressed her tightly into himself and whispered into her ear, "Or take me lingerie shopping. That would be fun too."

She shook her head, "I think I like surprising you with things like that. I did enjoy making you fall out of your chair the other day."

He growled into her ear lowly, "I liked that one a lot. You look so sexy in anything, or nothing. I like that also." He ran his hand down along her side caressing the side of her breast.

She moaned, arched back and pressed herself into him. "Darien, you do things to me."

"What do I do?" he whispered in her ear. He then stroked the side of her breast again.

Serena pulled him into their new bedroom and pushed him onto the bed. "Right now I am in charge."

As he held her after sex, he realized he really liked that side of her. He enjoyed her taking charge and telling him what she wanted. He told her as much, and she smirked.

She said, "Of course you do. You are so in control over your life. Why wouldn't you want to be able to relinquish control sometimes, to someone you trust?"

She made a lot of sense.

Later after they redressed and pretended that they had been unpacking, they met Sammy in the living room. He was overjoyed to hear his parents would let him stay with Darien and Serena. It made Darien a little melancholy that Sammy didn't even pause at the fact that his parents gave him up. Serena was right about that too. Sammy expected it.

Meanwhile, Beryl was still furious. Her anger permeated the whole of D Point near the North Pole. Metalia has been growing impatient and she pressed her cousin to get the Legendary Secret Treasure, a mission that led to her death. What exactly had happened, she wasn't sure, but she knew those Sailor Scouts were involved.

She swept into her throne room sending everyone one who had been there running to get out of her path. She had killed quite a few out of anger already. In her fury, she demanded the bodies stay for the time being. She liked looking at the destruction and death she caused. She smiled over at the two bodies that lay near her throne. One had told her the news of Bazzite's death. The other had been bringing her a glass of wine. The wine was delicious.

She cursed when she tried to come up with her next move. Bazzite was not just the one she trusted the most, she was her only Dark General. Well, the only one she hadn't killed during one of her fits.

Now she had to find someone to become her next Dark General. She despised what came next.

What came next for Darien, Serena, and their whole group was a beautiful time of peace. They had many discussions about Beryl and what it all meant. They knew that Andrew's totally badass move killing Bazzite must have sent Beryl scrambling. They knew the war wasn't over, but it was nice to have a break from the battles.

They trained, Serena still hated doing push ups, and they worked on strategy. They knew that whatever came next would be full of fury. Bazzite was related to Beryl after all. She would not just want the Crystal. She would want revenge.

Sammy thrived living with Darien and Serena. Very quickly his grades began to get even better. His latest standardized test score was not just the highest in his school. He was ranked in the top 100 in the country at his age. He enjoyed the response he received from Darien and Serena when he told them. They were so proud of him. Darien got him a new gaming system as a reward. Sammy thought that playing it on the large screen TV in the Family Room was incredible.

It was in that time that a girl had first really flirted with Darien. Serena had been sitting with the girls at the Arcade while Darien sat at the counter to talk with Andrew. He knew she needed time with her friends. He also liked to keep an eye on her. It was then that a girl he didn't know came up and asked him for the time. He decided to respond since he had been in a rather good mood that day.

She then thanked him and placed her hand on his arm, leaning into his space. She informed him that she had time and asked to join him for coffee. He was about to respond to her when he heard Serena.

She slammed her hands on the table and shouted, "Get the hell away from my fiance! He doesn't want to have coffee with you."

He watched her march over. She was angry, and she looked so sexy. She pointed her finger in the other girl's face and said, "It's time for you to leave. He is mine."

The other girl scoffed and looked smug, "Guys don't like jealous women. You won't be his fiance for long."

Darien grabbed Serena's hand, drawing her to him. He looked at the other girl and said, "Like hell I don't!" He then half drug her out of the Arcade and to their place. He made love to her, and as he buried himself inside of her, he told her how much he loved how she made him feel wanted. Serena made sure to let her jealousy show after that.

It was five weeks from the Thursday that Lita and Nephrite had started dating. Lita had been nervous because Nephrite had been acting strange. That evening, after school, he surprised her by taking her out to an incredibly fancy dinner. It was one of the best restaurants in town and had a chef that Lita admired.

When the desert course came and he started fidgeting, she couldn't stop herself from asking him what was wrong.

He wiped his hands on his pants and took her hand in his. "I'm nervous. You make me so nervous sometimes. You are a beautiful woman. I sometimes have to pinch myself that you agreed to go out with me. Then we found out that we are soulmates, and I felt so lucky. I mean, it means that you love me like I love you. How is that possible when I feel like I don't deserve such a strong, amazing woman? It's overwhelming. I just don't feel worthy. I promise to constantly try to be."

He paused, got down on his knee next to her at the table and pulled out a ring. "Lita, finding out I am your soulmate only made me hope you would want me in your life the way I already want you in mine. Please marry me."

She swooped down off of her chair into his arms, crying and nodding yes.

The whole group later came to celebrate their friends' joy.

Rui had become an issue in the group. Serena and Darien had discussed telling her about their secret and they had agreed to wait. It was a lot to tell someone who just got to know most of them. As time passed though, Serena grew to like Rui even more. They had come to the decision that they would wait a bit longer to tell her, but she would be told the secret.

Andrew had started morning practices with everyone right after his performance at the ball. He had grown in confidence in his physical ability. Sure, he wasn't a superhero, but he discovered that you didn't have to be in order to protect those you love. He could tell just by the look on Molly's face when she was thinking about him saving her life. The night of the ball had also been the first time they had sex. He was surprised how strong an aphrodisiac that had been and continued to be for her.

Serena and Darien looked over their group of friends as they sat at lunch. Serena said: It's time to tell Rui about us all. She has noticed that she is being left out.

I agree, he said, sighing. He liked her, but it was Serena that he wanted to protect and he wasn't sure how she would react. He trusted Serena's instincts on people though. She had an innate ability to see things. He knew he lacked that.

He squeezed her hand and said: You pick the time and the place and we will gather everyone.


	40. New Allies

Love you blueeyedevil06! Thanks for being my beta and my sounding board.

Chapter 40 - New Allies

Deep down, Darien was concerned when it came to telling Rui about them all. He had to constantly remind himself that he trusted Serena, and she trusted Rui. That was all that got him to agree that it was time to tell her. He was also concerned since she would be the first person to not be from their past. He didn't believe he would be able to accept her fully into their group.

All of that dissolved for him the moment Rui discovered that Serena was Sailor Moon. Upon learning who Serena was, she immediately launched herself into Serena's arm weeping. She said, "You are my hero. You saved me when I couldn't fight the evil inside of me. Every night when I wake up with night terrors, I remind myself that you exist. I can't believe I get to be your friend. Without you, I would've been dead. I would do anything for you."

He reflected he shouldn't be surprised that all he needed in order to accept someone in the group was for them to love Serena. It was interesting to him that once Rui had seen Serena in action as Sailor Moon, she accepted the rest with no incredulity. That surprised him when they got to the part about life on the other planets and the moon.

"Aww, man! That means that I am the only one in the know who wasn't reincarnated." She turned to Molly and said, "And, how cool is it that you were such a great friend that you were reincarnated too?! It is hard to fathom how much you must have meant to her in the past. No offense, but the other girls were her guards and are needed to protect her now. You were chosen because of who you are."

Molly burst out crying and hugged Rui, "You don't know how much that means to me. I never thought about it like that. I was feeling useless because I couldn't fight along with the other girls!"

"Oh my gosh, you should have said something to me about that!" Serena swept in and hugged Molly too.

To Darien's chagrin, he watched all of the other girls join the hug, and he grew uncomfortable with the amount of emotion and crying going on.

Darien fidgeted in his seat and Jadeite chucked at him and said, "Oh, things just got even better watching you squirm."

"Shut up."

And, so it was, that Rui was brought in on the whole secret including the talking cats. Watching the faces of people hearing a talking cat for the first time never got old.

They all sat in the penthouse after that, and Rui looked stunned. "That's incredible. How terribly romantic that you all have soulmates."

Mina smiled at her and said, "Well, since I am from Venus, I can see connections around people now. Once I awoke as Sailor Venus, they started to appear. I can see they are all soulmates because of the haze that surrounds them. You have one too. I would just have to look at the correct person with my senses engaged, and I would be able to tell it matches yours." She shrugged, "He's out there. I just don't know how to find him."

Rui had a bright smile and said cheerily, "That is awesome! Thanks! Just knowing he exists is encouraging. Wow, I have one too."

Darien noticed that, of course, he could feel Serena's joy coming off of her in waves.

Later that night, Darien held Serena as they were going to bed. He chuckled and admitted, "Okay, so I like Rui now."

She shook her head at him in mock exasperation. "Really, Darien, you only saying that now?"

He shrugged and smirked at her saying, "It's only because of what she said to you."

She raised her head completely off his shoulder and said, "Wait, you only like her because she is grateful for Sailor Moon?"

He shook his head and said, "No, I like her because she said she would do anything for you. You can't be surprised that I like someone who will be there for you."

He watched as her gaze changed. As it slowly melded into something else, he didn't know what to make of it. When it solidified into a look of desire, his hold of her instantly tightened.

Her hand caressed his bare chest, and she asked, "Do you even know how sexy you are? I mean, really, it isn't fair."

He slid one hand down her skin and under her pajama shorts, cupping her bare backside. He then gave it a squeeze. "Buns, you are the one that isn't playing fair here."

She looked up into his eyes and whispered, "Remember the other day when I had a doctor's appointment?"

His brow furrowed, "Yes, you said it was just a check up."

She smirked at him and replied, "Yes, and I also got something to take. And I thought now was a good time to let you know. I have been on it long enough."

"I don't unders-"

"I'm on The Pill."

As soon as his brain registered what she said, he surged up, flipped her over and pinned her beneath him. "I am going to ask, are you sure? There isn't any pressure."

She nodded, and that was enough for him. His hand dove beneath the sheets, and he started pulling off her clothes. He was almost frantic, and she was laughing at his reaction. Once he got her undressed, he yanked off his boxers and threw them across the room.

He loomed above her, kissed her deeply and his hand slid down her body. He said: You are so damn hot. I would love you anyway, but this body of yours... Fuck, you're sexy. He slid his hands lower and down to her pussy. You are so wet. He stroked her clit with his index finger, and she moaned.

Of course I am, she replied. Just the sound of your voice gets me like this. I wasn't kidding when I said I was horny all of the time.

You just have to tell me. Remember? I told you I would take care of your diagnosis, personally.

He played with her clit, and she instantly arched her back and moaned. He kissed down her exposed neck and down to her breasts. He took her nipple in his mouth. He continued playing with her clit.

"Fuck! Dammit that… Yes!"

He smirked into her breast and removed his hand. He was about to move to slide himself into her when she shoved him over and onto his back. It worked because he was completely taken by surprise.

She straddled him and placed her hands on his chest, propping herself up on him. She then slid onto his cock and squeezed her inner walls, eliciting a deep groan from him. She squeezed again and said, "You lay back. I get to have my fun with you. It's your punishment for stopping what you were doing. Now, I'm on top, and I'm in charge."

She then rode him hard with her breasts bouncing. He fucking loved it. He got to watch her whole body and see her ride him. He had the sexiest view he could possibly have and he was having sex. There wasn't anything better in his world.

When they were both spent and she collapsed in his arms, he pulled her tightly into his embrace and kissed the top of her head. "You do realize that backfired right?"

"Hunh?" she muttered.

"That wasn't a punishment. That was the sexiest thing, watching you ride me like that." he told her as he tightened his hold on her.

She huffed and said, "Oops, my bad." She then smirked up at him and said, "I guess I will have to come up with some new form of punishment."

Darien's voice grew deeper when he said, "I don't mind you experimenting on me with your punishments."

"Sure you say that, until I bring out the handcuffs that I bought."

"You bought handcuffs?" he was startled.

"Yup, I thought it would be fun to lock you up. If you were willing to, of course."

"Just give me a few minutes and I am ready to go."

Serena rolled her eyes and said, "Nice try."

"Worth a shot." he admitted.

He held her as she fell asleep that night. He reflected on how he didn't want to wait to make her his wife. He was so sure of them and so incredibly in love with her that he felt impatient. He knew it stemmed from him growing up in the orphanage and not having much to truly call his own. Except, he had to admit she was already his. She had been since before they were even born. He worried about Beryl. He couldn't let her destroy what he had again.

Beryl sat smirking on her throne while she caressed her orb that rested on its stand beside her. She had a new Dark General to do her bidding and Metalia had even approved of him. She cocked her head and looked at the person scrambling up to her with a glass of wine on shaky legs. She sighed with impatience and took the glass. The servant skittered away. She was aggravated that ever since she had gone on her short lived killing streak, the servants were all afraid of her. Cowards.

Her Dark General entered the throne room and bowed low. He looked up at Beryl and said, "My brother is pleased with the idea of an alliance. I look forward to serving you and Metalia. I have the perfect plan to amass energy."

"Very good. Go, collect energy and destroy those Sailor Scouts. Also, make sure to kill this girl," she waived her hand over the orb and a face appeared. "Her name is Molly, and my cousin wanted her dead. You will make sure to fulfill that for her."

He bowed again and said, "Of course, Your Highness."

She smirked and dismissed him, "Go, General Sapphire, and make me proud."


	41. The New Enemy

Blueeyedevio06 thank you for being my beta

Finding Love has a new chapter Love Poetry - I found an Ancient Japanese poem that worked perfectly for Darien and Serena.

Chapter 41 - The New Enemy

A little over a week later, Rui had just come back from a tennis tournament where she had placed very well. They were all sitting at lunch. Rui asked Mina, "So, how do I know if I met my soulmate?"

Mina's head snapped up, and she had a huge smile on her face. "Oh! You think you've found him?"

"I'm not really sure. All I know is that when he's near me he makes my heart beat speed up. It's almost like I can feel his presence. When he enters a room, I know without looking."

Mina smiled, "Who is he? We need to meet him!"

Rui blushed and replied, "His name is Masato Sanjoin. I met him this weekend."

Darien was about to mention that was a very short time to know someone and to think they were your soulmate.

Serena spoke first saying, "Oh! How wonderful. I am so glad you found someone."

He lovingly rolled his eyes at her. Of course she would want it to be true love.

After school, Rui was talking with Masato Sajoin on the phone. He said to her, "It feels like when you are around, all of the darkness flees. I just want to see you again and bask in your light."

She blushed and said, "I am free this Friday."

"It's a date."

That evening, four youma attacked the central markets in Tokyo. The Mercury computer picked up on the attack and alerted them all.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask raced to the location that Mercury gave them. They arrived right as one of the youma threw a car through a store window. The horn immediately was engaged and added to the cacophony of sound coming from the attack. People were screaming and running in terror, cars were being pushed around, and the youma were bellowing. It all added to the confusion as they saw what was happening.

Nephrite was there and yelled, "Starlight Attack!" Instantly, one of the youma was struck and stumbled back.

Sailor Moon charged her tiara and yelled, "Moon Tiara Action!" and launched her tiara at the monster turning it to dust. All of a sudden, she was off her feet and in Tuxedo Mask's arms being whisked away. Where she had been standing on the sidewalk no longer existed. All that was left was a creator.

She smiled up at him and said, "Thank you, Stud Muffin."

He winked at her and put her down on her feet gently. "Can't have any injury to that body of yours."

"Maybe you can give me a check up later tonight." she said while giving him a heated look.

"Seriously, guys! Not a good time for foreplay." Nephrite yelled.

Raye jumped in and launched her attack next.

Fifteen minutes later, the four youma were all destroyed. They all stood there exhausted and glad the noise had died down. Even the car horn had run out and quit.

They were about to head out and go home, when someone stepped out of the shadows.

He started to slow clap and said, "Interesting how you worked together to defeat the youma. It was quite an informative little display there."

"Who are you?" Amy yelled.

He gave a mocking bow and said, "General Sapphire. Beryl sent me. I look forward to destroying you all in the future." He then stepped back and through a portal.

They all looked around and Tuxedo Mask spoke, "My place in an hour. Team meeting."

Everyone ran in different directions so that they could disappear without a trace.

An hour later, in the penthouse dining room, they all sat around the table. It worked like a conference table with Serena at the head and Darien to her right.

"So, we have a new enemy who threw four youma at the city in order to see how fast we got there and how we fight. Not only that, but he wanted us to know that was what he was doing." Mina said. She was agitated and drumming her fingers on the table.

Darien nodded, "We may have given away that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are together too. Sorry."

Raye scoffed, "As if you two can keep from flirting. Raise your hand if you thought that the whole of Japan wouldn't know that they are together."

Darien and Serena were the only ones to raise their hands.

Zoisite commented, "I am just surprised it didn't come out sooner."

"So, now what do we do?" Jadeite asked. "I mean other than getting to where we kick his butt and then kill him."

Kunzite replied, "I think we need to assume he is always watching. We need to be careful that we don't do or say anything, in or after that battle, we don't want him knowing.

Nephrite sighed, "I guess our time of peace is over. I'm hoping that it won't mess up the date Lita and I are going to have Friday."

Luna twitched her tail, "You are hardly the only one with a love life."

"How is it going between you and Artemis, by the way?" Nephrite pried.

Everyone chuckled as Luna dropped her head in embarrassment. "He is very sweet."

Artemis scoffed, "That's not what she said last night."

"Artemis!" she hissed.

He replied, "You can punish me for it later, dear."

Darien paled when he realized he had some of the same sexual banter as the cats did. That had to be weird, right?

Serena just laughed and said, "Well, the enemy is back. Make sure you all have your communicators on you at all times. Good job, everyone, on getting there so quickly. And thank you, Darien, for saving me. I wonder if scorch marks would have come out of my uniform."

Darien rolled his eyes, "I would be more concerned about the blood, Buns. You have to be safer."

They heard the front door open and Sammy walked in. They had all been trying to act casual until they noticed it was just him.

He dropped his bag and rolled his eyes, "Okay, one, I wouldn't bring anyone here without telling Darien or Serena. Not when you are all superheroes. Two, you all suck at looking casual." He paused and added, "Three, I am really glad you are all okay."

Serena hopped up and hugged Sammy. "Thank you! How was studying?"

"Did you, of all people, just ask me about studying?" he was shocked.

She shrugged, "I ask about it because you actually do it."

"You should study too, Serena." Darien pointed out.

Serena sighed and said, "After we've talked about that haze that was around Sapphire."

"Haze?" he asked.

Serena nodded, "Yea, that blueish haze around him. Did you all see it?"

Raye nodded, "I did. I had a really bad feeling about it."

It was soon discovered that only Serena and Raye had seen the haze around Sapphire. They were all at a loss as to what it could mean.

Kunzite sighed, "I don't think we will solve it tonight. Next battle, we try to give Raye and Serena enough time to try and figure out the haze. Oh, and Amy should probably use her Mercury computer to analyze it."

Darien agreed, "I like that plan."

Everyone went home to finish up homework and get to bed. They knew they had to make sure to get enough sleep. It was hard work fighting as superheroes and trying to maintain good grades.

That night, Darien pulled Serena close. "Serena, I need you to marry me. Soon. I am struggling here. I tried to pretend to be okay today during the battle, but it was a fight too. I am confident in us. I just have too much baggage to be able to take this all in stride. I am terrified of losing you."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I will marry you tomorrow if that is what you need. We know my parents will gladly sign the paperwork."

"I don't want to take your dream wedding from you though," he admitted.

"My 'dream' wedding always fleshed out more like a nightmare in my head. Could you imagine how the parents of the bride would react?" she shuddered. "I think that, by marrying a prince, I get the wedding of every girl's dreams."

"Says the Princess of the Solar System." he sighed. "I don't want my needs to…"

"Oh, shut up. You don't want your needs to matter? Don't be ridiculous. Of course they matter to me. We are a team. We can even marry at Raye's temple and register our marriage by the weekend."

"But, I want you to be happy."

"And, marrying you wouldn't make me happy? Now you are just getting insulting." she huffed.

"So, what day do you want to get married?"

"Let's sign the documents Friday and have the ceremony Saturday. All of our friends can come." she advised.

He kissed her jawline, "I love it."

"I love you. Now, didn't you say you were going to check me over tonight? I think I have something that needs your expert attention." she whispered huskily in his ear.

He rolled her onto her back and started looking her over. "Everything looks absolutely perfect to me so far."

She slipped out of her nightgown and shook her head, "I am sure I am feeling very hot. I think you need to do something about it."

He touched her body, lightly trailing one finger down her and goosebumps trailed in its wake, making her nipples hard. He said, "It looks to me more like you are cold."

He then made sure she knew how much he loved her. He wanted her to truly know how much he appreciated her being willing to marry him so soon.

When they laid in each other's arms, they worked to catch their breath.

Darien let out huge panting breaths and said, "How did you get me to forget to have you do homework?"

"You're thinking about homework?!"

"No, I was working through what we would need to do to get married this Saturday. I was thinking you needed to go dress shopping with the girls, again. Then I realized that you probably have a lot of homework to do."

"Think I can order Amy to do it for me?" she asked with hope in her voice.

"No."

"Dang." she pouted. "I guess I could do my homework tomorrow and go shopping Wednesday with the girls."

He kissed her on the head. "That sounds like a great plan."

"Oh, but if you mention homework after sex again, I am going to smack you."

"Noted."


	42. Date Night

Blueeyedevil06 thank you for being my beta

Chapter 42 - Date Night

It was Friday night and Nephrite was elated. There hadn't been another youma attack that week, and he was walking hand in hand through the park with Lita after a wonderful dinner. He had gotten his wish. Beryl and her minions hadn't put a damper on his time with Lita.

He noticed Lita freeze in place, and he stopped to look back at her. "What's wrong?"

"How good are your acting skills?" was her only reply.

"Why?"

"We are about to cross paths with Rui and Masato Sanjoin. Pretend you don't want to kill him."

He tried to hide his confusion when, all of a sudden, the other couple stepped under a light, and he was able to see them. Then it was his horror he was trying to hide as he saw Rui walking hand in hand with Dark General Sapphire. "I can't do this." he hissed.

She grimaced and said, "You don't have a choice."

Dammit, he was furious with the Dark Kingdom. They were messing up his date after all.

He leveled a look at Sapphire as the girls hugged. He decided to play this as the protective guy type. That would make it easier to hide how much he wanted the guy dead. He said, "So, if you hurt her, I'll kill you, and I'll have lots of back up." He had to admit that didn't sound very close to Lita's advice of trying to sound like he didn't want to kill him.

Sapphire responded, "You have nothing to worry about from me. She is amazing."

That was not what Nephrite expected or believed. "I've heard that line before."

"It isn't a line." Sapphire huffed, "She's everything I need. She is like a pure light in the darkness."

Nephrite scowled. No way. No way, did he believe Sapphire. If Rui cried, Lita would cry, and that he couldn't tolerate. He had to put a stop to this. He said, "You should come to my friends' place with us all tonight. They would really like to meet you." And, he added to himself, then they could kill him. Hopefully, they just wouldn't get anything on the walls.

Much to his chagrin, they were not able to go to the penthouse. Rui had made some odd excuse. He chuckled that she knew enough to be careful of their secret but not enough to keep from dating the bad guy.

He knew his night wasn't going to end up with LIta in his arms now. They watched Rui's house as Sapphire dropped her off and kissed her at the front door. He cut Lita a look and said, "Don't even say it. A kiss from him can't be hot." He heard her sigh.

Once they watched him drive away, they walked up to Rui's door and knocked. She was startled that they were there, but she let them in.

Lita looked at her with teary eyes and said, "We need to talk."

"Shoot, is he married? Do you know him, and he's a cheater?" Rui looked heartbroken.

Nephrite looked at Lita, and she had started to cry. He knew the next time he saw Sapphire, he would kill him, slowly.

Lita shook her head and said, "It's worse? Yea, worse. He is the Dark General we just faced. He told us his name is Sapphire."

"He's evil? But, he talks about my light." she sounded very small.

Lita said, "Light chases away evil. Maybe it gives him a new feeling. I don't know what to say."

"But, he said he was falling for me." Rui wept into Lita's shoulder.

Lita held her and said, "I don't know what to tell you. He might be telling you the truth. He also wants to kill us all."

"I'll break up with him." She pulled out her phone.

Nephrite grabbed it, "I am not asking you to talk to him. Just don't tell him yet. The wedding is tomorrow, and we don't want to risk angering him. Do it for Serena."

Rui nodded, "I'll wait to end things with him. Should I wait and give them a bit of a honeymoon?"

Nephrite rolled his eyes, "We all know Serena wouldn't want you to hold off and torture yourself. She would be furious when she found out."

"When?"

"Surely we aren't telling them until after the wedding." he said.

Lita kissed him on the cheek, "But, you were willing to take them to the penthouse?"

"It would have been solved then." he said. He heard Rui sniffle and he said, "Sorry, that wasn't what I meant to say." he mentally added "out loud."

Lita looked at Nephrite and said, "I'm staying here with her tonight. She won't want to be on her own."

He nodded and agreed. He knew after her being possessed by the dark energy that came from Beryl, she would struggle to know the man she cared about was a part of that very thing. Stupid Dark Kingdom. He had plans for Lita that night.

He knocked on Kunzite's door a short time later, and he answered with a gruff, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Nephrite smiled. It wasn't only his evening that was going to be messed up. "I am reporting to you, boss. I know Sapphire's alias."

Mina appeared behind Kunzite and she said, "Sapphire has an alias?"

He replied, "Yup, and as soon as I say it, I bet you will let me in. Masato Sanjoin."

Kunzite opened the door to let Nephrite in, "Shit! That fucker is messing with Rui?"

"She says that he told her he was falling for her and that she was his light. Whatever the truth is on his end, she's brokenhearted. She was falling for him. You saw her talk about him at lunch all week. Hell, she asked Mina if he could be her soulmate. Lita is there right now comforting her as she cries."

They all sat down on the couches in the living room. Nephrite continued, "We ran into them on our walk this evening after dinner. I tried to invite him back to the penthouse. I knew we could destroy him there. He didn't seem to recognize us. He said he had to get home and couldn't go. We waited in the bushes at Rui's house like stalkers and waited for him to drop her off. Once he did, we told her who he was. She agreed to wait to tell him it was over until Sunday. We wanted to give Darien and Serena some time to get married. She would have waited longer. You know how she would do anything for Serena."

Mina nodded, "It is also the only way Serena will accept us not doing anything about it right away. Even she will agree that she should be given her wedding day."

Kunzite had grown quiet. He had been thinking of a previous conversation with Mina. "Wait, what if he really meant that she was his light?"

"I don't understand." Mina said.

"That blue haze was bothering me ever since Serena mentioned it. Raye even said it gave her a bad feeling. What if she really is his light? What if he is under Beryl's thrall or someone else's?" Kunzite turned to Mina. "You told me she has all of the signs of finding her soulmate. I have too much trust in your abilities to discount what you said just because it happens to be Sapphire."

Mina's eyes grew large, "You think he is possessed like Rui was? But, she acted so differently."

Kunzite shrugged, "I just can't get myself to write off what you said. I told you. I have too much respect for you and your abilities."

Mina blushed, and said, "Okay, next time we fight him, I need to actually look to see if he is her soulmate. What should we tell her?"

Nephrite said, "I think we should leave it as it is for now. We don't want her to suffer for no reason, but we don't know we are right."

"I'm ninety five perscent sure he is her soulmate. I told you Mina isn't wrong about these things."

"But, even she said she would have to look to make sure."

"That is where the other five percent is. I think things just got a hell of a lot more complicated. We can't kill someone who isn't evil. Serena will have to save him." Kunzite sighed. "And, it's my job to tell Darien. He's going to be pissed that she has to put herself in danger."

Mina said, "At least he's not the type to kill the messenger."

"Let's wait and see first. I am about to have to tell him on Sunday about all of this, and by then, she will be his wife. Tell me that is going to go well."

Nephrite's eyes grew large, "Never, for one moment, did I begrudge you the fact that you are in charge. But, right now, I am ecstatic."

Kunzite stood, "Let's go talk to Rui. She should know everything that is going on."

They arrived at Rui's house late in the evening, and a very puzzled Lita answered the door. "What are you all doing here so late."

Mina beamed at Lita and said, "We have a theory and Rui needs to hear it."

Kunzite said, "I will be telling this theory. It's mine."

They all went in to find a crying Rui. Mina and Lita sat next to her and hugged her.

Kunzite decided he should just tell the facts, "Rui, I think it's possible that he is actually in love with you, and you are his soulmate. I also think he may need to be saved from Beryl." And if he was wrong, he wanted to make sure that telling her was on him, and not Mina.

Rui's head snapped up, "What? You think… What?"

"I think that you are his light. I think he is taken over by evil energy. Serena and Raye both noticed he had that blueish haze, remember?"

She just nodded.

He continued, "I am going to talk to Serena and Darien Sunday. You know that Serena would want to save him, especially for you."

Rui asked, "Are you sure?"

Kunzite looked her in the eye, "I trust Mina's assessment of what you are going through. Before we heard this, she said it could only be soulmates. The others have doubts, but I don't. I believe we will find this haze, that Raye said gave her a bad feeling, is the result of a malevolent act against him."

"So, there's hope? I know. I know that, if it is between any of you and him, that you will kill him. But," she looked Kunzite in the eye, "You know what it feels like to find a soulmate."

"And, so does Serena. Trust us." he replied.

She nodded, "I will."

Kunzite rubbed his hands over his face. He knew he had a lot to back up now. He also knew he would be Serena's shield through all of this. He wouldn't ask Darien to put her at risk and then step back. His life was now on the line.


	43. Wedding

Thank you to the amazing blueeyedevil06, you are not only my beta, but you are also a huge support.

I apologize now if you are a purest on wedding traditions. I have read up on the Shinto traditions and will use that for their wedding. I am going to be honest. I googled it and I have no idea regarding the quality of my research. That, and I have little to absolutely no background knowledge of the tradition. I am hoping that they can be different like the weddings in Western culture. If not, let's pretend they are. I won't be going through the wedding in fine detail. I will be bending what I do know to serve my story.

Chapter 43 - Wedding

Shortly before the wedding, Serena walked out wearing a beautiful white kimono. On Wednesday, Darien had surprised her by setting up an appointment with a specialty shop that promised she would be able to have it in time.

She smiled at all of her friends and then scolded them, "Don't you start to cry! If you do I will too, and then I will mess up my makeup."

Mina flashed the Sailor V sign and smiled at Serena, "Yea, and I spent a lot of time working on it. Not that you aren't already beautiful."

Serena blushed, "Thank you. You really did a wonderful job." She straightened her spine, "So, what do you think?"

"I think Darien is going to think you are the most beautiful bride, ever." Rui stated. The rest of the girls all agreed.

Darien dressed for the ceremony and then met his men in the room set aside for them at the temple. "I have to thank you all for being here. I also have to say this now, and then I will drop it. I know you are all hiding something. Thank you. Just promise me that you can handle it until tomorrow when you will tell me."

Kunzite bowed, "I promise you that we can handle it until we update you and Serena both. We would all like to request meeting you at your penthouse tomorrow at two."

Darien nodded, "Granted. Well done, Kunzite."

Kunzite nodded at the others, "It is a combined effort, but thank you."

Darien huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "It's going to be a pain, isn't it?"

"Nothing that we can't all handle together when the time is right," Zoisite said.

"Very well. I am going to put this conversation out of my mind today and let you all handle it for the time being." Darien stated.

Raye's grandfather was to perform the ceremony. He was a little startled about the changes, including the fact that Serena's parents weren't invited. Apparently. they had made themselves obnoxious when they had come to sign the marriage papers the day before. He had always liked Serena, and she had her parents' permission, so he didn't ask any questions about it.

The moment that Darien saw Serena in her white kimono, he shocked himself. He teared up and had to wipe a few of them away as they threatened to spill. Other than noticing the tears, Darien registered nothing else around him except Serena. She was breathtaking, and she was his. He was about to seal their marriage that they waited thousands of years for.

He took her hand, and they walked through the wedding ceremony. They each sipped from the sake cup three times. Then, in a break from tradition, Mina and Kunzite sipped from the sake cup. They stood in place of their respective parents, and for them, it symbolized the coming together of their kingdoms and guards.

When the ceremony was over, they both changed together. Darien removed her kimono and pulled her close. He said, "Buns, I am so happy right now."

She smiled up at him and replied, "You have made me the happiest woman in the solar system. When you teared up the moment you saw me, I almost wept. It was incredible to see you overwhelmed."

"I am overwhelmed by you every day, Buns. Now, we better finish getting changed or we will be late for the dinner they are holding for us."

"I thought we could have sex first."

"No, not in the temple." he sighed in mock exasperation. Deep down he liked how much she made him feel wanted. A fact that she, of course, knew.

They changed, met their friends and Sammy outside the temple and made their way down the stairs. They all laughed and chatted. As they descended, Serena slipped on the step and began to fall. Darien reached out and grabbed her, pulling her to him and stopping her fall.

She looked up into his face and said, "Thank you."

"I will be there to catch you for the rest of our lives. Remember that, Buns." He leaned down and gave her a kiss.

Dinner was delicious and Serena enjoyed feeding bits of food to Darien. He huffed and rolled his eyes every time. At one point, he told her that he wasn't a child. She just continued to insist, and he gave in. She didn't know how, at the time, to express that she wanted to do something for him. Even if it was incredibly small. He had done so much to secure her happiness. She wanted to do even the smallest thing for him.

Part way through the evening, Jadeite stood and said, "And, now is the time for speeches. And, since I put myself in charge of announcing them, I will let myself go first."

Kunzite shouted out, "That isn't how this works!"

Jadeite laughed and said, "I am in charge now. You don't get to reference silly things like 'rules.' Darien, you have been my friend for a long time. And, that is all I have to say about you." There were chuckles. "Serena, we knew Darien was crazy about you for a while. We also knew that he didn't have a sense of humor, so we couldn't joke with him about his feelings. Stick in the mud. What we didn't know was that he would be lucky enough to actually get you. Darien, you really are a lucky SOB. When you both started dating, I watched the weirdest thing happen. I watched two people who were perfect for each other come together and make each other even better. Darien can take a joke now. And Serena, well, you seem more self assured. It is amazing to watch a strong woman be encouraged in her strength by a man that adores her. You both epitomize love and what you can achieve when you find the person who loves you and makes you stronger. Darien, good job on getting Serena to marry you. Of all of the goals and career plans you have, marrying her is the smartest."

Serena was crying and hugged Jadeite. "Thank you." she whispered.

Mina stood next, "It's my turn. I don't remember fighting for you both all of those thousands of years before. Yet, when I look at you together, it doesn't surprise me in the least bit that I would fight to the death to ensure that you two were together. Serena, I will follow you though life and death. Darien, I will protect you as my friend and as the soulmate of the one I would give everything for."

"Oh, Mina. Thank you!" Serena continued to cry.

Andrew next said, "I will make this really short. I am so happy that two such wonderful people found each other. I am excited to see what you do in this life together."

Lita said, "Just know if you need me to, at any point, I can go straight to Plan B, for either of you. Darien, I will protect you. It is part of my duty as her Senshi. If something happens to you, something happens to her heart. It is obvious that, without you, she would not be whole."

Amy nodded, "I completely agree. You are under my protection too."

Raye laughed, "I will kick anyone's ass that threatens either of you. Serena, you were my friend when everyone else thought I was weird. You accepted what was weird about me and told me you admired me for those very qualities. Now, as Sailor Moon, you took those weird qualities and now I use them to protect. The very things that were mocked about me are now my strength. Thank you for making me believe that before I even knew that."

Zoisite said, "Darien, we all knew you were going somewhere. You are brilliant, but I worried about you being lonely. You always acted like you didn't really need people, but that couldn't be true. You rejected every girl that had interest in you, and I thought you were determined to stay single. Then, when I noticed your feelings for Serena, everything began to make sense. You weren't determined to remain single at all. You were just determined to find the perfect woman and not waste your time on dating anyone else. Serena, you really are perfect for him."

Nephrite then nodded and said, "That you are, Serena. It figures that Darien, of all people, would never settle. It is a lot of fun to watch you both find forever together. Darien, I will protect you and all that you hold dear."

Molly smiled at Serena, "I have been friends with you since kindergarten. Who knew our lives would end up like this? I was sure of two things though. One, we would still be friends. Two, you were meant for great things. Someone so kind and wonderful should only have the best in this world. I love you. Darien, I didn't think Serena would ever find someone worthy of her. Thank you for proving me wrong."

"I am so glad to have a brother," Sammy said. "Darien, you have already begun protecting me. Serena, that had been just your job for so long. I am thrilled that my sister has someone beside her that helps with her burdens. Darien, you continue to protect her and watch out for her. She is strong, and she won't tell you when she needs help. Not really. She has shown she is capable of suffering in quiet. I am glad you have begun to help her lift that burden. Sis, you have been there for me my whole life. I am so grateful, and I am excited for Darien since you have a way of being there for people in ways they don't even know they need. Be good to each other. Oh, and let me keep that awesome room in the penthouse!"

"My turn!" Rui said, "I have known you the shortest, Serena, but you have already saved my life. I will do anything I can to protect you. That, I promise. Not only will I keep your secret, but I will actively help you maintain it. Darien, I am so glad she has such a wonderful husband. You two are perfect for each other."

Kunzite raised his glass and everyone followed suit, "Darien, I pledge to always watch out for you. I pledge to protect Serena above myself. She is your wife and under all of our protection. That is not a burden you carry alone. There are those that will go after her, but they will never succeed. I will be there in support of your marriage at all times. I will not fail you." He looked Darien in the eyes, "She will be safe, and she will grow old along with you. I will always be her shield."

"Here, here." They all said and drank a toast to the newly married couple.


	44. Promises

Blueeyedevil06, you are awesome. Thank you for being my beta.

This chapter gets a little more into the weeds of where things are located in the penthouse in one section. Off the entryway, there is a room with a rotunda. I will be using that space for part of the story. If you want to see a layout of the penthouse, the link to the floor plans is still on my Tumblr under WildRiverInTheSky.

Chapter 44 - Promises

As Serena and Darien left the restaurant, she said, "What time are we meeting them all tomorrow to go over the latest problem?"

Darien whipped his head towards her startled, "I didn't realize you noticed something was wrong."

"I have known the girls for a long time. Of course I noticed that something was wrong. Kunzite's speech would have given it away otherwise. The threat must be pretty bad if he is promising you now that he will be my shield."

"I caught that too." Darien sighed. He was trying not to worry. "They will be at the penthouse at two o'clock. They promised they could take care of it in the meantime."

Serena smiled up at him, "Then let's believe them and leave the worries about Sapphire for tomorrow."

"Sapphire?"

She shrugged, "Gosh, I hope it is about him. If it's a new enemy, I really don't want to think about that."

"Good point."

Darien surprised Serena by taking her to a very nice hotel. Mina had packed a change of clothes for her and her overnight bag was already waiting for her in the room.

Before she could even look at the room, he spun her around and got down on one knee.

She laughed and said, "You already proposed. Or, did you forget we married today?"

He smiled up at her and shook his head, "I will never forget that I am married to you. There is something I wanted to do. Something I remember Endymion wanting to do on his wedding night."

"Sex?"

He chuckled, "Definitely that too. He had wanted to say, 'I vow to you my everything. Today, I promised my life. Tonight, I promise my all. I will never stop loving you. Even death will not defeat my love for you. I lay everything I have at your feet. It is all yours.'"

Serena wiped the tears from her eyes, "You made his desires come true. Even death didn't stop our love. I accept your promise and give you my own. I will never stop loving you. Death didn't stop my love. It never will. I give you everything, and I promise you my life."

He stood and kissed her to seal their promises. "I love you."

"I love you too." She pulled back and looked at him. She noticed his focus move to the room behind her. She looked and said, "Darien, this place is amazing! You spoil me so much!" She spun around in the room and flopped on the comfortable bed. She was smiling up at him.

He cracked a smile and said, "I am glad you like it. I enjoy spoiling you."

"How convenient since I like being spoiled!"

"You are beautiful, my wife."

"It is Mrs. Shields to you, husband." she replied.

He cracked a huge smile, "I like that, a lot."

"So do I. Serena Sheilds. It works well together. It actually sounds like a superhero name." she chuckled and stood up. "Now, onto consummating our marriage." She gave him a heated look.

Instantly, Darien's mood changed. He stood too and walked over to her. "Well, Mrs. Shields, I think that is an excellent idea." He caressed her side, and she stepped into his embrace.

"Husband, was… was there anything you wanted to try with me?" she asked him.

"Serena, there is nothing in this world that would make me okay with you hesitating when you asked that question." he said as he caressed her back.

She shook her head, "You misunderstand, I am not nervous about you asking me to do something. I am nervous that you will think I sound silly." She buried her head in his chest.

He raised her chin and said, "Your desires and questions will never sound still to me." He gave her a heated look. "Especially when they deal with sex. I enjoy trying new things with you. Not because I need them. I just like exploring things with you."

She smiled brightly at him, "I like that too, which was why I asked. I was wondering if you had ideas we could try."

"Why don't we explore that together in the future. Tonight, as I make love to you, I want to be able to look into the face of my wife. We could get you on your hands and knees another day. Although, you do have a very nice butt. I would like to look at that while I have sex with you too."

She blushed and nodded, "I would like to try that with you too."

He slowly undressed her, kissing her skin as he did. He pressed kisses into her, trying to show her how much he loved her. When they were undressed, he laid her on their bed and teased her skin. His fingers worked their way down to her pussy and played with her clit. "You are already so wet for me."

"It turns out I like you talking about sexual positions. Who knew?" she gave a wry smile. "It's sexy."

He lightly pinched her clit, "I will have to keep that in mind. I also remember the fact that you have handcuffs."

Serena moaned as he played with her pussy. "Those are for when you are willing to let me torture you. I don't know if you are ready for that yet." She gave him a saucy smile.

"Don't forget I like your form of punishment. I think I will love your form of torture too." He slid one finger into her as he continued to play with her clit.

She rocked up against his hand moaning and arching her back. "That feels so… so…" she moaned. "Good." She rocked up against his hand again.

He added another finger. "So, you like this?" He smirked and she nodded. He loved watching her whole body respond to him. There was just something that made him feel so powerful watching her laid out next to him, coming undone around his fingers. He knew that when he curled his fingers like this, she moaned like that every time. He loved knowing her body and how to bring her pleasure.

"Shit!" she screamed as he sped up his pace. She started riding his fingers as he played with her clit, and she shattered around them.

He removed his hands and licked his fingers. He tried to do it while she had her eyes shut, attempting to catch her breath.

She caught him and asked, "Why do you look embarrassed?"

"I didn't know how you would take it."

"That you like the taste of me? Go back to licking your fingers. I want to watch." she demanded.

He did just that and watched her face as she enjoyed it. "I won't ever hide something from you again."

"Good. Now, come over here and fuck me. That was hot, and I desperately want you."

That night, when they came, he was looking her in the eyes while they fell apart. He loved her blue eyes, and he found it incredibly sexy when he could see the pleasure they were experiencing together in them. She came screaming his name. He really loved that too.

The next day, at two o'clock, they arrived at the penthouse and set down their bags. They noticed that everyone was already there. They had rearranged the room with the rotunda and placed two dining room captains chairs side by side.

Darien and Serena left their bags in the entryway and immediately went to sit in their makeshift thrones.

Serena spoke first, "I wanted to say thank you for your speeches yesterday. Kunzite, Darien and I already understood your promise to protect me. We thank you."

Darien nodded, "I figured you were preparing me for whatever you have to say today."

Kunzite sighed and nodded, "I was. I wanted you to be assured ahead of time that it isn't Serena I am going to put at risk. It is myself."

Darien nodded, "How bad is it?"

They had already discussed how things were going to be told to Darien. So, Nephrite launched right in. "Friday night, Lita and I ran into Rui and Masato Sanjoin at the park. They had been going for a stroll too."

Serena smiled, "Rui's soulmate. At least that was what Mina told me."

Nephrite nodded, "Yes, Kunzite is sure that Mina is correct, and that he is her soulmate."

Serena noticed that Lita wrapped her arms around Rui and comforted her.

Darien asked, "So, I assume that means… Shit! Please, tell me I am wrong."

Kunzite shook his head, "You are not. Masato Sanjoin is really Sapphire."

Serena's eyes grew wide, and she dashed off of her throne to wrap her arms around Rui. "Then that blue haze must be that he is possessed with evil, and he is really good. I will heal him, I promise!"

"Fuck! What made you think this could wait?!" Darien was pissed. He knew that meant that Serena wouldn't fight back against Sapphire even when he tried to kill her. She wouldn't want to hurt her friend or get in the way of true love.

Kunzite bowed low before Darien, "I am fully aware of what I am telling you. I promised to be her shield. I will not fail on that promise. It was my choice to tell you and to believe that he is her soulmate. I will take the full force of that responsibility. I will die before I let any harm come to her."

Mina bowed before Darien too, "I will take up the position as her shield if he does." They had a very bad day and a half. Mina had wept in his arms when he told her the full weight of what his promise meant. She loved him all the more for his desire to protect Serena, but it didn't make it the least bit easier.

Darien looked at Serena and said: Come and sit next to me. We need to be united when we accept this. I know I can't talk you out of trying to save him.

Thank you. She walked over and sat in the chair next to his.

She looked at all gathered and said, "It looks like we have a Dark General to save. It is probably time to start making a plan on how we are going to do this so that everyone comes out of this safely."


	45. Five Days

Blueeyedevil06 thank you for being my beta and my encourager.

I love prompts. Head over to Finding Love I have gotten some wonderful ones. It is fun to puzzle through and to, hopefully, come up with a new angle on a story line someone loves. Let me know what you think.

I hope you are enjoying my story!

Chapter 45 - Five Days

What followed was the week of Sapphire attacking every day. Everywhere Molly went, youma attacked. People in school started talking like she was cursed. They would ask her the plans she had and then head across town from where she would be by the third day. That day it was a joke. After five days, even the principal asked her where she was going.

Rui was beside herself. She had been ignoring Sapphire's calls and spending more time away from home so she wouldn't be there when he knocked on her door. She was heartbroken that her soulmate was trying to kill her oldest friend.

Darien was angry that he missed the fact that Beryl would want Molly dead after they destroyed her cousin. He could admit that he was so worried about Serena that he didn't think of the other consequences.

Andrew was growing upset. He had to work after school, and he tried to convince Molly to not go out or to go to the Arcade. He was horrified that she had become a target because of him. Two evenings he even managed to sneak into her window, and they held each other while they slept. He wanted her to feel safe. She had promised him she did feel safe in his arms. After all, he had defeated Bazzite and saved her life. He was so elated that she felt safe with him.

The only benefit of Molly being the target was that he never attacked her at school. They all knew there would come a day they had to explain why they all skipped school. Darien didn't look forward to the disapproval from his teachers.

And so, Serena destroyed youma after youma with her tiara. She was growing exhausted and her body was having a hard time recovering after so many fights being back to back. At night, when she was alone with her husband, they would soak in the large tub to ease their muscles, and he would hold her. He would tell her how amazing she was and how powerful. She loved those times together.

She would then tell him about how much he was her hero. She would thank him for saving her time after time from danger and how much she liked being in his arms. Even in the middle of a battle. His hands would caress her warm, wet skin. They would then get lost in each other. Night after night, they would fall in bed together, safe in each other's arms.

One night, in their post orgasm glow, they were lying on their bed. Darien propped his head on his elbow, looked down at her and said, "Even with all of the battles going on, I am happier now than I was before."

"That is because you are getting laid. A lot. Who would have known that battles could be such an aphrodisiac?"

He chuckled, "I am not discounting that. But really, it's having you in my life that makes me so happy."

She kissed his arm. "That is very sweet. I have to agree with you. I love even the little things we do together. I am so happy right now."

He gave her a heated look, "Now, don't get me wrong. The sex is amazing, and I am all for having lots of it."

"It's a good thing that I completely agree with you. Why don't you use your superhero stamina and show me how much you like it?" she challenged him.

That night, as he made love to her again, he became concerned about the ability of the bed frame to hold up to them having sex. He heard it creaking a few times and made a note to check on it the next day. The next day, he made sure to add some more bolts to keep the bed from falling apart. Some of the ones they had were already loosening.

It was established very quickly that Sapphire was, in fact, under the thrall of dark energy. Serena and Raye could tell. Raye because of her priestess abilities and Serena because of her Silver Crystal. The purity of the Crystal was easily able to sense the dark energy possessing Sapphire once Serena concentrated on it. Amy analyzed it with her Mercury computer and realized that the dark energy signature was different than they had all expected. They all ended up concluding that while he was possessed by evil, it probably came from a different source than Beryl and Metalia.

The second battle was hard for them all. After that battle, Kunzite was barely able to walk away from the confrontation. Mina had to help him limp off. Darien had just set Serena down when a blast from a youma came at her from behind them. Kunzite dove in front of Serena to take the full force of it's attack as the others attacked the youma. Serena spun and yelled, "Moon Tiara Action." The youma turned to dust and Mina raced to Kunzite to keep him from collapsing.

That night, Darien showed up at Kunzite's place. Kunzite was resting in his bedroom, so Mina let Darien in. She was wearing Kunzite's bathrobe by the look of how big it was on her.

Mina went to get something to drink and left Darien alone with Kunzite. He went in and said, "How are you healing?"

"Don't worry about me. I will be fine." He replied gruffly.

"You should've let me heal you. I offered before, and now I am considering doing it without your permission." Darien confessed.

Kunzite shook his head, "I will be fine. I am not going to die here. Also, I meant it when I said that I would protect her when I asked you to put her at risk. I am proving that I knew what I had promised." He then lowered his voice and said conspiratorially, "I am a lot better than I seem. Mina has taken very good care of me. I really like the way she plays nurse."

Darien choked on his laugh, "I will reward you for protecting Serena by not healing you then. I take it whatever she is wearing under your bathrobe is part of the healing process?"

Kunzite nodded, "I may have to get hurt more often."

Darien chuckled, "Well, I will let Serena know you are doing just fine."

After Mina let Darien out and closed the door, she dropped the bathrobe that she was wearing on the floor, and walked into Kunzite's room. She leaned against the door frame and said, "Now, back to me kissing it and making it better."

He groaned and said, "You look so sexy in that naughty nurse outfit."

"I am glad you approved." She winked at him. "I think I need to give you a through check up, again."

"I couldn't agree more." He replied.

Darien went back to the penthouse and assured Serena that Kunzite was going to be fine.

On Saturday, Rui finally broke down in Serena's arms. She had seen how they had looked after the battles. Many of the times, they had convened at the penthouse to discuss strategies afterwards. She had been there, seen them injured, and heard about the battles. She was distraught when she heard about Kunzite's injuries after the second battle.

"I know he is my soulmate, but is that worth all of this?" Rui asked, sniffling.

Serena replied saying, "You are asking the wrong woman. Races of people died because of Endymion and Serenity's love. Beryl unleashed Metalia out of jealousy. What I do know is that I have always fought for true love, and there isn't a reason to stop now."

Darien looked at his wife and marveled at her. How she could comfort Rui and himself at the same time, he didn't know. She was right. They fought for true love. If he stopped now, what did that say about his commitment to her? He didn't want Serena to doubt that he would do anything to preserve their love.

Rui nodded at her and squared her shoulders. "You agree that love is worth fighting for?" Serena nodded. "Then call me to the next battle."

"Are you sure?" Serena asked.

Rui looked her in the eye, "He keeps trying to contact me. Let me be there, and let me try to get through to him."

"But, he could link you to us." was Darien's comment.

Rui shook her head, "I won't use your names, and you shouldn't use mine. Pretend like you don't know me."

"I don't want to put you in danger." Serena stated.

Rui smirked, "I don't want to put you in danger either. Let me try. You can't really think he would kill me."

Serena's shoulders sagged, "I don't think he would injure you. I don't want you to see the battle."

"Let me be strong enough to be there."

Darien thought about it and said, "Serena, you need to let her do this. She is strong, and you can't hold her back."

"Fine. But, you will be careful, and if you get injured, I will be mad." Serena stated with conviction.

Rui smiled. "I promise."

Darien chuckled and said, "Maybe you and Molly should go hang out at the park this afternoon. That way, we don't have to call you for the attack."

Rui sighed, "Beryl really wants her dead, doesn't she? I am having a hard time with the fact that she is using Sapphire to do it."

"Just remember that it isn't him. You attacked Sailor Moon. You didn't want to do that either." Darien said.

Rui smiled at him, "Thank you. I am always glad you don't hold that against me. Everyone knows how protective of Serena you are."

Darien looked at Serena and Rui and said, "I will gather the troops. It's time for a planning meeting, again."

~Reviews really do matter to me.


	46. The Plan

blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta and for catching all of the consistency errors no one else has to see!

I have a New story for FINDING LOVE: "Locked Up" Mina and Andrew lock Darien and Serena in the break room because of all of their fighting.

Chapter 46 - The Plan

Serena got off the phone making plans to have a meeting at twelve thirty about Sapphire, and Darien was laughing. He said, "Just because we use our dining table as a conference table doesn't mean Lita has to make lunch for all of us."

Serena gave him a sharp look and said, "Bite your tongue! Of course it does. I love her food. It's a good thing that Nephrite works out or else he would end up gaining weight."

She smiled at him and said, "So, when are you going to set up the office?"

He looked at her curiously, "I was about to order the furniture for it, you know that." He had given Sammy his desk he had used before. He wanted to get something that would work better in one of the main rooms, and he also wanted Sammy to have one of his own.

Serena nodded, "Can you order me one too?"

Darien was puzzled, "You want a desk?"

"I do. It was weird the other day when they set up makeshift thrones for us. At least it was weird for me. Maybe I need a desk where I can talk to Mina. I don't know. What do you think?" she looked insecure.

Darien instantly heard what she wasn't saying. She wanted to be seen as an equal to him and if he had a desk for meetings, and she didn't, she would feel lesser. "Buns, here's the deal. We get matching desks, and we share the study. I would love to be in there together with you." He walked over to her, pulled her up against him and said into her ear huskily, "My only hesitation can be fixed with me just asking. Can we have sex on my desk first? I was actually looking forward to that."

She looked up at him and smirked, "I would love that. You know I like to distract you when you study from time to time."

"Oh, gross!" Sammy yelled. "When you are in the main areas of the house, can't you just stick to saying the dirty stuff telepathically to each other?" He pulled out his cell phone and started typing, "Right now I am googling therapists."

Serena looked at him and shrugged, "Just remember to knock before you come into the study then."

"Thank goodness I have my own awesome desk. No way will I borrow either of yours, now." he retorted.

Serena swayed her hip and gave him a sassy look, "So, do you want a list of all of the places you can't sit anymore?"

Sammy paled and shook his head, "I think I just would prefer to remain ignorant." He looked back at his phone and said, "Hey, this one looks expensive. I think I will go give him a call and send you the bill."

Darien just shrugged and said, "Totally worth it." Darien reached in his pocket and threw Sammy a card. Sammy caught it and looked puzzled. "That, right there, is a debit card to an account that we set up for you. I talked your parents into sending money to me for your food and lodging. All of the money is being put in that account. Serena and I talked, and we are giving you an allowance too. The amount that is in there will be added to your account every month. The pin is your birthday, for now. You can log in to change the pin and see your balance."

Sammy looked shocked, "That money isn't supposed to be for me."

Darien looked Sammy in the eye and said, "Just say thank you. You are legally my brother-in-law. You know I have seen you like a brother before this. Let us take care of you. I will never get over how much you have done for Serena growing up. Do you remember the time she was excited about getting an A on her art project and your parents didn't care? Do you remember that you told her you loved it, asked if you could keep it and hung it in your room? She does. You aren't just her brother to me. You are her protector."

Sammy cleared the lump from his throat and said, "Thank you. I am really glad you're my brother and money has nothing to do with it. I just don't want you to ever think it does."

"What is it with both of you? I have all of this money, and you both seem determined to prove that you don't care about it." Darien shook his head in mock distress.

Serena piped up, "I guess we both just want you to know it's you we actually care about. The nerve of us!" she laughed.

Darien held her tightly and looked at Sammy. "I appreciate you both for feeling that way. Now, both of you get over it, and take the money. It's legally Serena's too anyway."

Serena pulled away and said joking, "Well, I better go do some shopping before lunch then. There was a purse I really liked."

Darien smiled and nodded, "I'll drive. I don't want you backing out of buying it." He took her hand and led her out of the penthouse. He wanted to make sure she turned the joke into reality.

When Sammy checked his balance on his checking account, he grew pale seeing how much was in there.

Sammy let Lita and Nephrite in when they arrived at twelve fifteen. They all headed straight for the kitchen with the food.

Lita asked, "So, where is Serena? I thought I would be fighting her off to make sure all of the food would make it to lunch."

"She and Darien went out shopping. He was trying to make a point about the money being hers too and she mentioned wanting a purse. He went along to make sure she bought it." Sammy informed her.

Nephrite rolled his eyes, "Nice trick. Wait until he realizes she talked him into going purse shopping. That is hilarious."

Sammy started laughing, "That is too funny! You're so right."

They both helped Lita plate up the food and prepare for lunch. Sammy periodically began letting people in as they arrived early.

At twelve twenty-eight, Serena and Darien arrived. She was beaming and holding up her new purchase. "Look! Don't you just love this purse?"

Even Jadeite held his tongue. No one teased Darien about purse shopping when they saw how happy he looked. It was obvious that Serena's joy was incredibly important to him.

Once everyone was all seated and their food was set before them, Serena said, "I rule that we eat first. This all looks delicious, Lita!"

Nephrite kept quiet, but was so glad that Serena said that. He knew Lita had worked really hard on their meal. He was so happy that she was getting recognized for that.

Once they started eating, Serena yelled, "Oh my gosh! This is amazing. Lita, you really outdid yourself." Everyone agreed.

Lita blushed and thanked her. She was so pleased with the reception of the meal. She was considering using it for part of her application to culinary school.

When lunch was over, Darien decided to speak first. "Rui has decided that she wants to be at the next battle. She is hoping to draw Sapphire out long enough for Serena to heal him." Almost everyone started to object. Darien held up his hand for silence.

Serena surprised him as she spoke up. "Shame on all of you! You haven't even given it any thought and you are already objecting. Andrew, you killed Bazzite and you don't have super powers. We aren't asking her to go up against him. She wants to make a plea to him. She thinks he has been acting out in anger because she has broken up with him. It makes sense that she would want to help. She cares about Molly like we all do. We can't let him keep attacking her. We can't risk her life like that. Or, do you all want Molly to keep being the focus of Sapphire's anger?"

Everyone was silent.

She looked puzzled, "What?"

Rui spoke up, "I think they are just all startled that you yelled at them."

Luna nodded, "That's true."

Serena shrugged, "You all literally put me on a throne less than a week ago. If you want me to lead, then I will step up. I don't want to let anyone down."

Darien sighed, "Serena, you haven't let anyone down."

She looked at her hands, "I let Kunzite get hurt protecting me. What does that say about me?"

"No, what does that say about me?" Kunzite said. "I could have pushed you out of the way if I was thinking, and we both would have been fine. Darien gets you out of the way all the time. I wanted to prove to you both that I would be your shield. That isn't your fault. That was my pride. Don't you ever take responsibility for that."

Rui spoke up, "Tell me if I'm wrong, but whatever gave Serena more of her voice was a good thing. Thank you for standing up for me. I want to be part of this. Please, let me help save my soulmate. Let me do this. Not only for you, but also him."

Mina smiled at Rui, "I didn't think about it that way. You are right. You should have a hand in saving him. It's romantic."

Raye nodded, "We all have a weird sense of what's romantic, don't we? Well, let's help her take part in saving the man she loves. I would like to think that I would fight for Jadeite if he was under Beryl's thrall."

They spent two hours working on their plans for ensuring Rui was at the battle but would also be protected. Rui was touched how hard they were all working out plans to keep her safe even though she believed she would be the safest one there.

When it was time to decide what Molly and Rui would do together to draw out Sapphire, Lita hopped up and exited the room. She came back carrying a picnic basket and a blanket. "You should both go on a picnic in the park together. I packed one for you."

Serena's eyes got huge, "Wait, how did you know to pack that? Also, can I be part of the plan too? I want to eat the food you made!"

Lita smiled and said, "Rui mentioned to me that she wanted to be a part of everything. I figured out where it was going."

Serena sighed, "And I can't go, because I can't be linked to Molly. Dang!"

"I put some for you in the fridge." Lita said.

Serena jumped up and hugged her. "Thank you so very much! You are so good to me!"

And so it was decided that Molly and Rui would have a picnic dinner together, in the park, in three hours. That gave them all more than enough time to get in position.

Before Kunzite left, he pulled Darien aside, "She will be defended."

"Thank you. Now, let's get Sapphire back to himself so we can all be safe for a while." Darien said.


	47. Sapphire

blueeyeddevil06, all of my stories are better because of you. Thank you! I appreciate you being my beta.

Chapter 47 - Sapphire

Darien smiled at Serena as he watched her from the doorway. He had gone looking for her since they were set to leave soon, and he found her in the guest room closest to Sammy. She was currently putting new sheets on the bed. Of course, he should have expected this. She turned and jumped.

She scolded him, "You shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" She then grabbed a pile of various sized fresh towels to put in the bathroom.

"So, Sapphire will be coming to live with us?" he asked.

She stepped out of the bathroom, looking startled. "Wait, did I imagine that we discussed this?"

He nodded, "Yes, you did. Luckily, I agree with you that he should live here. We have plenty of room, and the only woman who lives here doesn't sleep alone." He smirked at her.

She walked into his arms and wrapped hers around him. "Very true." She smirked up at him. "Maybe I will have to stop sleeping naked?"

He growled, "Absolutely not! There is no reason for him to need to come into our room at night. I am against all clothing when we are alone together."

"Oh, really. What about the lingerie?"

"I will amend that statement. I am against all clothing that isn't worn for just me." He lifted her chin and kissed her.

She chuckled, "Great, now I am getting turned on before a fight."

He whispered in her ear, "I will make sure to make it up to you tonight."

"I will hold you to that." she promised. "Now, I guess we need to head out. His room is all made up for him. I even grabbed some of your old pajamas and a robe for him."

He looked startled, "You're giving him my clothes?"

She gave him a coy look, "It isn't like you wear clothes to bed either."

"Touche." He pulled back a bit and said, "Serena, you really do have an amazing heart for people. I didn't even think about where he would be staying once he was healed." He kissed her on the top of her head. "Let's go, and try to save this guy."

She nodded and followed him out of the penthouse.

Molly and Rui had just arrived at the park. Everyone had agreed that Rui should wear a hat and sunglasses. Sapphire might not attack if he saw her there. Mina secretly hoped that it was true. It would mean she was right about them being soulmates.

Molly spread the blanket with shaking hands while Rui handled the picnic basket.

Rui whispered, "Molly, they will keep us both safe. It's going to be okay."

Molly smiled at her and said, "I am worried about Sapphire. I want him to be healed, but I know that he is the enemy. I really want you to have true love. It's amazing."

Rui hugged her, and they sat to eat. They knew that everyone was lying in wait already transformed. It was strange to have a picnic knowing that they were being watched so carefully.

Ten minutes after they had started eating, the first youma showed up. Sapphire stepped out from a portal and said, "Beryl is getting really angry about the fact that you are still alive."

Molly stood up and said, "Well, I guess she would like to know who killed Bazzite then."

"It won't get me to spare you." he replied.

"Then I guess she will never know." she said and nodded to Rui. She figured she had sufficiently distracted him from attacking so that she could reveal herself.

Rui stood and took off her glasses and hat. "Masato Sanjoin?" she asked. "What is going on?" She tried to feign ignorance.

From Sapphire's perspective, she succeeded. He asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I am having a picnic with one of my best friends. What are you doing here?" She looked at the youma who was apparently waiting for the signal to attack. It stood still, staring at Sapphire.

"Molly is your friend?" he asked, taking a step back.

"We have been close ever since we were little kids." she replied. "What is going on?" She pressed again.

He looked torn, "Why won't you return my calls? I've missed you."

"I sensed you were hiding something from me. Is this what it is? Are you the one attacking the city?" she didn't have to fake the tears falling down.

"I wanted to keep this from you. I wanted to protect you from this." he said.

She let her heartbreak show, "You lied to me. What's your real name?"

"Sapphire," he admitted to her.

The youma lost patience with waiting and took a step towards Molly, preparing to launch an attack. Just then, three more showed up too, ready to join in.

Rui jumped in front of Molly as the youma advanced. She would not let her friend be injured in this.

Sapphire saw her stand in defense of her friend, and he gave out a guttural scream. He could not stand by as the love of his life was injured. Especially, not by a youma he released.

He watched in horror as the youma nearest them began to launch it's attack. Before it got off it's attack on them, he turned and destroyed it himself. He then rushed to Rui's side.

He yelled, "Run to safety! I can't watch you get hurt or killed."

"No! Look at me!" she demanded. "I will save you."

"I am beyond saving. I have been for a long time. Run!" he yelled.

"Why?!" she needed to know.

"Because I love you! Dammit, Run! I can't watch you die." he was desperately begging her with his eyes to follow his orders.

What he hadn't realized, in all of his worry for Rui, was that the three remaining youma had been confused and didn't put up much of a fight. They were now all destroyed. All that stood in the park were the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, the Generals, and the three of them.

Rui stepped towards him, placed her hand on his face, and said, "I love you too." Then she kissed him.

When she released him from the kiss, she looked at Sailor Moon and nodded. Rui wrapped her arms around Sapphire and said, "Trust me, and let her do this."

He looked into her eyes and nodded, held her, and closed his eyes.

Sailor Moon called forward her Silver Crystal, and as it hovered in front of her, she smiled.

Mina said, "Kunzite was right, by the way. He is her soulmate."

Darien smiled and said, "All of that preparation for battle against Sapphire, and it was Rui that kept him out of the battle." He looked at her. "You were right. His love for you did keep you safe. It also kept all of us safer. I am glad for you."

"I am so happy," was Serena's reply. She closed her eyes and focused on the love that bound Sapphire to Rui. The crystal pulsed and when she opened her eyes, the purple haze was gone from around him.

The first thing he did, when he was free from the darkness within, was kiss Rui.

Lita looked at Nephrite and asked, "Now, am I allowed to think the kiss is hot?" He just nodded.

When Sapphire released Rui, he walked over in front of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and got down on his knees, holding out his hands. "I am your prisoner now. Thank you, Sailor Moon, for removing the evil energy that was controlling me. I hadn't even begun to hope that it was possible."

Sailor Moon shook her head, "That isn't how this works. Are you going to go back to Beryl and attack us again?"

"No!" Sapphire yelled, horrified by the idea.

"Then you are free. If you hurt Rui, you will have all of us to answer to." she informed him

He looked confused, "Wait, you know Rui?"

"She is friends with each one of us. She was also at my wedding to Tuxedo Mask."

He looked horrified, "I attacked all of her friends?"

"And, you are forgiven. She knows what it was like to be under Beryl's power. Bazzite infected her with evil energy not long before she was defeated." she informed him.

He stood quickly and went to Rui, "Wait, Bazzite attacked you? She drained your energy?!"

Rui nodded, "Yes, she did. I know what it feels like to be under her power."

Sapphire demanded, "Who killed Bazzite? Please, tell me. I need to know who to thank."

Andrew waived and said, "I didn't do it for you. Sorry, I did it to keep her from killing Molly. The one I love."

Sapphire looked him in the eye, "I am sorry. I was under the control of my brother and then Beryl. I… I can't express how sorry I am."

Andrew shook his head, "Serena was right. I don't think you get how this group works." He looked at Darien, "Where should we meet up?"

"The penthouse. He will stay with us. Rui, you can come along with us." Darien said.

Sapphire let himself be led by Rui in a daze. He really wasn't sure what was happening. He pulled her aside at one point and asked, "Why are they helping me?"

"They are helping me, actually. You're my soulmate." Rui replied.

He frowned down at her, "That's too good to be true. With all I have done, I don't deserve to be happy. I definitely don't deserve you."

She rolled her eyes, "That isn't how this works. I love you. It's not about what you deserve. It's about what we are to each other. And if it was about what we deserve, don't I deserve to be loved by my soulmate?"

That made him think. Of course she deserved the love of a soulmate. She was perfect in his eyes. "But, how can that be me?"

She shrugged, "Are you going to deny our love and run from me, breaking my heart?"

He shook his head and said, "No."

"Then shut up and get over it." she gave him a saucy smile.

He kissed her lips and said, "I will never stop showing you how grateful I am to have you in my life."

"Good."


	48. Welcome Home

Blueeyeddevil06, thank you so much! You are a fabulous beta and friend.

There is a new one shot in Finding Love, Dreaming. Darien is having vivid dreams with Serena every night and then has to see her in school.

Chapter 48 - Welcome Home

Rui already loved Serena. She was the one who had been there for her at the worst moment of her life. Now she thought about it, she was there for her best too. Sapphire was holding her hand and released from the dark energy controlling him. Serena was beaming, and Darien was smiling at her fondly.

The four of them walked into the penthouse and made their way to the living room. The rest were going to join them a little later. They wanted to have time for Sapphire to adjust to everything.

They all sat, and Sapphire looked uncomfortable. Of course it was Serena who tried to put him at ease. "Do you like the penthouse?" He nodded. "Good. We have a room already set aside for you. We don't have a change of clothes for you, but I have something you can sleep in tonight. It used to be Darien's."

Sapphire was completely shocked, "Wha… What? You want me to stay here?"

Serena seemed uneasy, "Unless you don't like it…."

"No! No, this place is amazing. Why would you want me to stay here though?" he asked.

Darien knew Serena's sweet nature wasn't going to help Sapphire understand, so he jumped in. He asked, "Are you going to betray us to Beryl? Is it the case that you weren't under the influence of dark energy and you wanted to attack us all?"

"No! I won't betray you!" Sapphire stated, unequivocally.

"Let me outline it for you then. Either you are evil, and we have to destroy you, or you let us help you. See my wife there?" He pointed at Serena. "She will fight for anyone. That includes you. If you waste that gift or abuse it, I will take it personally, and I have four men who would be more than happy to follow my orders and destroy you, if I asked. If you accept the gift, and treat her and Rui as you should, you will have no problem being someone I call friend. Make that decision now."

"I won't betray either of them." Sapphire stated.

Darien nodded, "Then you stay here, with us. You have nowhere else to go, and Rui doesn't need to take responsibility for you yet. Surely you don't want to be a burden on her."

"I don't want to be a burden on anyone." Sapphire said.

"Then don't be." Darien picked up a notepad with a pen and tossed them at Sapphire. "Write down everything you remember about Beryl, Metalia and why you served them. Do that, and you will be a huge asset to us."

Sapphire nodded, "I will do that, happily."

Darien nodded at Serena. She smiled and said, "The others will come over soon. You don't actually want to kill Molly, right?"

Sapphire's shoulders slumped, "I don't. I was ordered to by Beryl. Apparently her dead cousin hated Molly. She is after revenge."

Rui squeezed his hand and said, "Molly and Andrew are soulmates like us. Apparently in his past life, Andrew was married to Bazzite. She didn't love him, but she objected to someone else being above her in his eyes."

Sapphire was horrified by what he learned. "How can you all ever forgive me?"

Darien looked Sapphire in the eyes and said, "Get over it. This whole thing goes a lot slower if you keep blaming yourself. From this moment on, now that you are in control of your actions, we will hold you responsible for them. Deal?" Sapphire was hesitant, but nodded.

Serena looked at Rui and said, "Why don't you show him where he will be staying. Talk to him. Come back out in thirty minutes."

Rui nodded and led Sapphire away.

As soon as they were out of sight, Serena hugged Darien. "Thank you for trying to make him understand. You are amazing."

"Why did you send him away?" he asked.

Serena gave him a loving smile and said, "Could anyone get through to you more than I could? They need time so she can talk to him in private. We have done our part. It's up to her now."

He leaned down and kissed her. "You are right, of course."

She smiled and said, "I know how to handle a stubborn man. I have practice."

Darien lifted her up from the couch and put her into a fireman carry. He grabbed her bottom, squeezed it, and then marched to their bedroom and threw her on their bed. He said, "I would feel badly for every other man who doesn't have you, but I refuse to share."

She smiled up at him and said, "You are more than enough man for me."

He chuckled and got down to hover over her on the bed. "We are going to have to make this quick."

She smirked up at him, "You were the one who couldn't wait until tonight."

"I can't resist you." He grasped her breast.

"Good, I don't want you to."

Thirty minutes later, the four of them had reconvened in the large living room. Sapphire was looking more confident as everyone arrived.

Rui walked over to Serena. She smiled as she said, "He feels like I do. You saved him from death and servitude. Thank you for protecting us both. Most of all, thank you for giving him back to me.

Serena hugged her, "You know I am always on your side and the side of true love."

Once everyone else had arrived, Serena introduced everyone. When she got to Sammy, she said, "This is Sammy, he's my brother and lives here too. He is in the room closest to you. He is also Darien's reincarnated brother from our past lives."

Sapphire looked stunned, "So, if you are all reincarnations and soulmates, am I?"

Darien shrugged, "Truth is that we don't know. I don't remember you from my past. I have Endymion's memories. My guess is that soulmates didn't only exist thousands of years ago. It would make sense that they are still being born."

"So, I traveled across the solar system corrupted by evil and found my soulmate?" Sapphire asked.

Rui smiled up at him, "That isn't any less plausible than Darien and Serena's story."

Sammy laughed, "You have a point there. Wait until you meet the talking cats!"

Artemis jumped up on the coffee table and said, "You mean me?"

Sapphire looked stunned, "I didn't know anyone survived from the planet Mau!"

Luna jumped up next to Artemis, "Two of us did."

"Amazing!" Sapphire said. "I am glad to know that. It was horrible to think that your whole race was gone. Well, it would have been had I had any empathy. Diamond ensured I didn't."

"Diamond?" Serena asked.

"My brother. He is a horror. He made a deal with someone who calls himself Wiseman and was given power. It was in the form of pure evil. That was the evil energy you healed me from. My brother made sure Wiseman infected me against my desires as well, and then he made a deal with Beryl. She would have been under his rule once she had the Legendary Silver Crystal with my help."

Darien laughed, "Somehow I don't think it would have worked that way."

"No, you are right. Metalia and Wiseman would have been fighting in the end after they destroyed their puppets, of course. They don't see that."

"It seems there is a lot we need to know. I am glad you are able to help us." Darien replied.

Sapphire bowed in front of Serena, "I submit my powers and my knowledge to you and into your service. I vow to always act in your interest and never betray you."

Serena smiled at Darien and winked, "Rise Sapphire, my first General."

Rui teared up and started crying.

Sapphire panicked, "What? What is wrong?"

Rui gave him a small smile, "I am just so happy. I was so afraid that you would be lost to me. I am so glad she gave you back to me." She kissed his cheek.

He smiled down at her, "I am so glad your friends saw it in themselves to rescue me. It says a lot about their love and affection for you."

Mina flashed the Sailor V sign and said, "It also shows that we know what it is like to have a soulmate."

Raye rolled her eyes, "If they ever get it in their heads to propose, I mean really! What are you actually waiting for, Jadeite?! Do you think someone else better will come along? Jerk!" She huffed and crossed her arms.

Jadeite laughed and leaned back in his chair. "All I was waiting for was for you to yell at me. It's really sexy when you do, and I love it when you take charge. I am so glad we are finally engaged."

"Wait, what do you mean we are engaged? You didn't ask!" Raye yelled.

"No, but you did." he pointed out. "I say yes, I'll marry you."

"Ass!" she fumed.

He nodded, "Yes, but you like my ass. You told me so."

She cracked a smile as he pulled her close to him and he said, "Please, tell me you will marry me."

She nodded, "Yes, it would have been nice if you had a ring though."

He pulled a red ruby ring out of his pocket and asked, "Will this do?"

Her eyes misted up and she nodded. He placed the ring on her finger and she beamed at him.

Jadeite stood and pulled her up with him. "Well, you all can figure the rest of this out. We have some celebrating to do."

After they left, Rui laughed and said, "We really are all incredibly weird."

Serena shrugged, "But we are never boring."


	49. Use Your Love

Blueeyeddevil06, thank you so much for being my beta!

Chapter 49 - Use Your Love

It had been a week, and Sapphire had proved himself to them at every turn. He had written page after page, after page of what he knew about Beryl and Metalia. He had even told them how to defeat his brother, if he ever showed up.

Rui was a sight to behold. The tension and stress that had pervaded her the week before was completely gone. In its place was joy and a constant smile. She was so happy. Serena chuckled everytime Rui grew quiet and a smile graced her face. She was so happy for her friend.

Sapphire spent a lot of time devoted to Rui and her happiness. He vowed never to take for granted her bravery in standing before him at the battle, facing him with nothing. Nothing but an open heart and love. He was grateful that he didn't disappoint her in her trust of him. He held onto that when he would begin thinking about what he had been.

Rui had a knack for knowing when he was beginning the spiral that would have him drowning in guilt. She also had the ability to change his focus and bring him to the fact that even when the evil controlled him, he still loved her. That his love for her was stronger than the power that had overtaken him. That he was able to not attack Molly once he knew she was Rui's friend.

Sapphire very slowly started letting go of his guilt. He knew one way to do that would be to continue to help Serena and Darien defeat Beryl. He decided he should approach them in an attempt to be more of a help despite the fact that he didn't know how much trust they had in him yet.

After seven days of them getting to know him, he finally approached Darien and Serena. "Would you be willing to work with your Crystals in front of me? I think I can help Serena harness hers even more. Your power should have increased after you were married. Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate that you were holding back."

Serena nodded, "I felt myself holding back. I just wanted Rui to be happy. You have to admit, I was right. The love you both share is breathtaking."

Sapphire did something he hadn't ever done in his life; he blushed. He looked into Serena's eyes and said, "You have ensured that I have the love of such an amazing woman. I would do anything for you."

"So tell us what I need to do with my Silver Crystal now that I am married to my soulmate." she asked, trusting him.

He bowed, "Power works the same way no matter the source. I was forced to draw on dark energy. You need to draw on your love for Darien. The love of your soulmate that spanned thousands of years. Make sure to focus on the entirety of your love. Not just the current love you have for him."

She closed her eyes and listened to the Crystal within her heart. She focused on what a love like theirs meant and how precious it was. She listened to the call of her heart and spoke with conviction, "Moon Eternal Make Up!" She transformed into Sailor Moon only, this time, her transformation looked different, and she sprouted enormous beautiful white wings.

Darien stared at her in awe, "You are absolutely breathtaking."

She felt the power course through her. She looked at Darien and spoke with conviction, "Your love, our eternal bond, and our vows have made me stronger." She flapped her wings and feathers flew all around her.

She looked like an ethereal goddess to Darien. All of a sudden, he wanted Sapphire to leave. He watched her blush. Apparently his raging desire for her was communicated to her. He wasn't even a little bit sorry.

She dropped her transformation and was smiling. She loved not only the feeling of her new powers, but also how they would help her protect everyone better. She also loved the desire that was rolling off of Darien in waves. She noted to herself that she would take advantage of that later. She had plans for him that evening.

Sapphire was pleased that they trusted him, and that he was able to be a help to Serena. After all of the harm he tried to do, he desperately wanted to save her from any in the future.

After dinner, Darien cleaned up. He wanted some time to reflect on what happened with Sapphire that day. He realized that he trusted him and was coming to see him as a friend. He was actually glad to have him around.

Once he finished cleaning up, he set the dishwasher to run, washed his hands and turned out the light. He made his way to their room on bare feet.

In their room, Serena stood there in her Eternal Sailor Moon transformation and a white teddy. The curtains were open behind her, and it showed Tokyo at night. Darien walked in the room and stopped short. He instantly grew hard. She looked like a sex goddess and he wanted her. Desperately.

She gave him a demure smile, and he almost lost his mind. Every part of him was screaming out to claim her. Then he remembered. His inner caveman turned her on. She liked it. She wanted him to go after her. Pursue her. It made her feel powerful when he couldn't resist her.

He definitely desired her. His pants grew uncomfortably tight with how much he desired her, in fact. He took a couple more seconds to take her in. She was a vision and sexy as hell.

She flapped her wings and feathers flew around her making the room look like a snow globe. He wondered what it would be like to make love on the feathers that floated down onto their bed.

His eyes grew dark with desire, and he stalked towards her. He watched her squirm in anticipation. He wanted her to be burning with desire as much as he was. When he was close enough, he reached behind her, grabbed her ass in his hands and pulled her flush up against him, grounding his cock into her. "You look like a real life Victoria's Secret Angel, only better because you are mine."

She ran her hands over his strong arms. "All yours."

He transformed into Tuxedo Mask and threw off his hat. "I may need to be able to draw on all of my superpowers tonight." He felt her desire overwhelm his senses. He was pleased that it was working. He placed one hand back on her firm ass. The then placed the other one on the back of her head and pulled her into a searing kiss. He captured her mouth and kissed her with all of his pent up passion from before.

She rocked up against his hard cock, and he growled. "Mine." He stated while he kissed down her neck.

"So, stake your claim then." she said, batting her eyes at him.

He released her long enough to take off his cape and drape it over their bed. The deep red of the lining was facing up. Then he eased her onto her back, careful of her wings, and looked down at her. "I don't know why I didn't think of this before. You look amazing laid out on my cape. He stripped off her lingerie and began taking off his own clothes.

Serena had locked eyes with him as he began undressing. She let him into her mind and how she was feeling. She watched him start taking off his clothes faster. He had felt how wet that he was making her with just the sight of his toned abs.

"Leave the mask on." she whispered.

He did. He then said: Spread your legs for me. I want to taste you.

Serena was awash in blinding pleasure. Her wings twitched and strained in response to all of the pleasure he was giving her. When she wrapped her arms around him as he drove himself into her, she wrapped him in her wings too. She drew a new kind of pleasure out of being able to feel him in a whole new way.

Darien lost his mind in passion. Everything that was in him wanted her and wanted to bury himself deep inside of her. So, he did. He chased their orgasms with a singular focus. He touched and teased her. He tasted her and felt her desire through their bond. He sucked on her breast and felt her desire for him to mark her. He did. He left a love bite behind as a memory of what they were sharing together that night.

He drove himself into her and her tight warmth. He loved that he could feel the pleasure he was giving her. When he changed the angle of his thrusts and she mewled and arched her back, he knew he found the way to make her cum screaming.

She did. She came hard, crying out his name. Two thrusts later, he followed her, and it was glorious. Then it all literally came crashing down. Right as he was cuming he heard an awful crack and the bed tilted towards the headboard.

They both de-transformed and looked at each other in shock. Serena chuckled and said, "I think we just broke the bed."

Darien smiled at her, "That's after I reinforced it with larger bolts the other day."

"Apparently, we can't be in our superhero forms when we have sex in bed. We'll have to try that somewhere else." she said, smirking at him.

He growled, "I love the way your mind works."

He helped her up out of the bed and said, "Let's go shower and then go sleep in the guest room for tonight."

She nodded and let him lead the way.


	50. Kinds Of Love

Blueeyeddevil06, thank you to my amazing beta!

There is a new one shot in Finding Love: Foretold.

Chapter 50 - Kinds Of Love

Darien woke up in strange surroundings and then remembered that they broke their bed last night. He felt he knew exactly what people meant when they used the term "shit-eating grin". That was what he was wearing now. Damn, that was awesome.

He rolled out of bed, made sure Serena was still asleep and quietly slipped out of the door after quickly dressing in the bathroom.

He almost walked straight into Sammy when he stepped out.

Sammy was startled, "No way she made you sleep in the guestroom. What happened?"

Darien rubbed his fingers through his hair, "You don't really want to know. We didn't fight though. She is asleep in there right now."

Sammy looked confused, but said, "I will just take your word for it."

They walked into the kitchen and Darien started making breakfast for them all. He figured he owed Sammy something nice. He knew that when they went to remove the broken bed, he was bound to find out. Maybe he would have to get him that therapist they kept joking about.

Sapphire walked into the kitchen and said, "Breakfast smells good. Can I help with anything?"

Darien thought about it and handed him a knife, "I assume you can chop veggies?" Sapphire nodded and got to work.

Sammy asked, "Can I help with anything?"

Darien shook his head, "Na, just hang out and I will do the rest."

Sapphire stared at Darien, "It was that good last night?"

"What are you talking about?" Darien asked.

Sapphire rolled his eyes, "I saw the look in your eyes when she sprouted wings."

"What?!" Sammy exclaimed, "My sister has wings now?! Cool!" He paused. "Wait, what look in his eye?"

"The kind of look where you make breakfast for your brother-in-law, so you can look him in the eye after what you did to his sister."

"Gross."

Darien couldn't help but snort. It wasn't gross.

Sapphire chuckled, and asked, "So, anything we need to prepare the little one for today?"

"Hey! I'm not "the little one." Sammy said.

"True, but I was trying to lighten the mood. Darien looks incredibly nervous right now."

Sammy narrowed his eyes, "Just say it. If I am going to find out anyway, act like it's ripping off a bandage."

Darien put the pan down that he had been holding and leaned on his hands on the counter. He sighed and said, "I have to purchase a new bed frame."

Sapphire started laughing uncontrollably. Sammy made gagging noises and pretended to wretch.

"Do I even want to know how the hell you did that?" Sapphire asked.

"We were in our superhero forms." Serena said from the doorway. She looked at Sammy and said, "Just remember, one day I will return the favor to you. That is assuming that you will be living here at the time. I can always kick you out."

He chuckled and said, "Fine. It's gross, but not as bad as I was pretending. I like giving Darien a hard time. You should have seen him squirming before he told me. It was hilarious."

She cracked a smile and said, "He is cute when he's nervous, isn't he?"

"I promise you that I don't agree, but I don't really think you want me to." He paused and added, "I heard you have wings now. That's crazy."

"Moon Eternal Make Up!" She transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon. "What do you think?"

Sammy's jaw dropped, "You really have wings! Can you fly?"

"I assume so. I haven't really tried inside. Not a lot of room. I may try tonight on the balcony."

Sammy shook his head, "My sister has freaking wings!"

Darien looked puzzled, "That is where this all gets hard to believe?"

"Good point. It's just new. I'll get used to it."

Sapphire said, "It's a good thing too. She couldn't have defeated Beryl and Metalia before without serious risk to her life and everyone else's."

She dropped her transformation and smiled at Sapphire, "Thank you for the help realizing that I even had another transformation I could achieve. I didn't even know to be looking for something new."

Darien smirked, "Yea, I'm a big fan."

Serena blushed and Sammy groaned.

She smiled at him, "So are we going bed frame shopping today?"

He nodded and said, "I thought I would have the guys help me move the guest room bed into our room until the new frame arrives."

She rolled her eyes, "You just want to brag."

"That too." he smirked.

Sammy looked at Sapphire and said, "Tell me this isn't normal."

"I am an alien from another planet. What do you want me to say?" he asked.

"Nevermind." Sammy acquiesced.

Darien finished breakfast and plated it up as there was a knock on the door. By the time Serena was back with Rui, five plates were at the dining room table.

Serena asked, "Were you expecting her?"

Darien nodded, "Not the way you were thinking though. She is similar to you, in a way. I would expect you to show up if you were in her place."

Serena walked over and kissed his cheek, "You are so wonderful."

Rui thanked him for breakfast, and they all sat down to eat. They all pretended not to notice Rui and Sapphire playing footsie under the table.

After breakfast, Sammy whispered to Serena, "When I start dating, I am going to be so cutsie and gross in front of all of you as payback."

Serena rolled her eyes, "Bring it on. I will probably really deserve it by then."

Sammy smirked at her and asked, "Mind if I head out? I was hoping to go hang out with some friends at the Arcade." He saw Serena's look. "Don't worry that you haven't met them yet. Andrew is working, and you know he will keep an eye on me."

Darien walked over, put his hand on the small of Serena's back and said, "Don't worry, he will give me a full report. I am his legal guardian after all."

Sammy's head whipped to look directly at Darien. "What?!" he asked.

"All of the paperwork is filed. Your parents agreed I should go through the proper legal channels in case of emergency. They can't get you back from us." he said.

Sammy broke his promise to himself to always try to remain "cool" in front of his brother. He misted up and hugged Darien, who hugged him back, clapping him on the back three times. Sammy got control of his voice and he said, "Thank you. Truly, thank you so much."

Darien smiled and nodded, "It means a lot to all three of us. We're a family."

Sammy chuckled as he saw Serena crying. He asked, "He surprised you too didn't he?" She just nodded at him.

Sammy waived to say goodbye to them all and headed out the door.

Sapphire smiled at them, "It is incredible seeing all of the different kinds of love in your group. I was so mired in darkness and my brother is just… evil. I am not used to seeing it. I have to say it is great to feel a part of it."

Rui cuddled up to Sapphire and whispered in his ear. He nodded and he said, "I, um… we have some… talking to do." Rui rolled her eyes and drew him out of the room.

Serena smirked and said, "Well, let's go bed frame shopping. This time we need to find something more sturdy."

"Great, I can just see us at the store asking for their most robust bed." Darien said.

Serena looked wide eyed, "That's a great idea!"

"I was kidding!"

She shrugged, "There are the salespeople after all. Surely they know which one will hold up the best."

Darien spent the whole morning blushing to his ears. Serena insisted asking each salesperson about the sturdiness of each bed. She laid it on especially thick with the saleswoman who initially tried to flirt with him. Serena left her in no doubt about what happened last night to make them need to go shopping today.

After three hours of shopping at five different stores and one, on his part, awkward fist bump from a really impressed looking salesman, they found a bed. They ordered it and set up a time for it to be delivered once it was in.

Darien then took Serena out to lunch. She smiled at him when he did, and he was awash in the bliss that was doing everyday things with the woman he adored.

They ordered lunch and, of course, she ate as if she was starving, but he found it endearing. He loved that she didn't starve herself. Her appetite was probably also to keep up with her superhero body. He had to admit it was fantastic after all.

She ordered the dessert suggested by their kind waiter, and when she tried it, she made such a fuss over how good it was, he went and got the chef. She, of course, made a huge point to compliment him and thank him for such a wonderful meal. By the time they left, their whole meal was on the house and the chef told her she reminded him of his daughter.

He chuckled over how everyone loved her. As they left, she looked back and locked eyes with him. Her look was so full of love and adoration, it took his breath away. Yes, everyone loved her, but he realized she loved him. He wondered how he got so lucky, in two lifetimes no less.


	51. Moving Forward

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta!

Chapter 51- Moving Forward

Beryl was furious. She watched her servants tremble in fear of her, and it delighted her. Metalia needed more energy, and yet Beryl desperately wanted to be Queen, not of D-point, but of all of Earth. She had already informed Diamond that his brother was dead. Weakling. Her plans kept falling apart, and she needed a new general, again.

She stormed through the halls and watched people skitter out of the way. She walked into the room that housed Metalia and bowed low. It rankled that she was forced to bend a knee to anyone. She reminded herself it was only until she was able to harness Metalia's power for herself. "I have good news. Diamond is going to send Rubeus to take Sapphire's place. He will be here soon. Our alliance still stands."

Metalia chuckled, "As long as they don't know we plan to double cross them, then this is good news."

Beryl held in her anger and tried to force a smile, "I didn't let on that we plan to double cross them. He still believes he has the upper hand. Wiseman still pulls his strings."

"Good. Keep it that way." Metalia demanded. "Now, go prepare for Rubeus. Make sure he doesn't discover our true plans for the Black Moon Clan."

Beryl bowed before her. Once she was out the door, she cracked her first smile in weeks. The Black Moon Clan wasn't all she planned on betraying. Now she just had to start to put the rest of her plan in motion.

Right before lunch, Darien's teacher called out to him and asked him to stay for a minute to talk about something. Darien was puzzled and hung back after all of his classmates left. He was puzzled over what the teacher needed from him. Nothing was due and he was the perfect student.

His teacher seemed nervous, which added to his confusion. He ran his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture and then said to Darien, "Okay, so as your teacher, this is not really my place, exactly. I just wanted to say that I am glad you have Serena. I was worried about you. Don't get me wrong. Your grades were and are perfect. I just wondered if your perfect career path was going to actually make you happy. I am aware of what happened in your childhood. Well…" he sighed. "I just wanted to say that I am relieved that you have her. You are young to get married, but I don't think either of you made the wrong decision."

Darien relaxed as soon as he realized that his teacher was praising Serena. He replied, "She is amazing. You don't even fully know the extent of how incredible she is. You are right about me too. I would have been lonely, and all of my success would have felt empty. Thank you for worrying about me. I didn't have people who worried about me as I grew up. It matters."

His teacher smiled and said, "We aren't supposed to have favorite students, but of course we do. I always looked forward to watching what you made of yourself as a doctor. But, Serena has always been a favorite of mine. I am glad you value her the way you do."

Darien barked out laughing, "That's funny. She didn't do her homework when she was in your class."

"Yes, but you can't deny her kindness. As a teacher, I know about the homelife of my students. Anytime I knew I had a student that was going through something hard at home, I sat them by Serena. She would instantly notice them and invite them into her group in class. It was a relief to watch them smile. It's hard knowing what some of my students go home to."

Darien shook his head, "All the while, she was hiding what she was going home to."

His teacher looked horrified, "What are you talking about?"

"Originally, she moved in with Mina, and I had her brother move in with me. Their mother was emotionally abusive."

His teacher deflated, "I wish I had known."

"She hid it from everyone, including her friends. Don't worry. I have guardianship of her brother. They won't ever go back to that again. I won't let them." Darien stated.

"Well, that just makes her even more my favorite. I will let you head to lunch. I just wanted to say that I was glad that you both married."

Darien nodded at him, "Thank you. I appreciate that." He then headed to join Serena for lunch.

Darien arrived at lunch still laughing from his conversation with his teacher.

Kunzite noticed and asked, "What's so funny to you? Most people aren't laughing after a teacher asks to talk to them."

"It turned out that he wanted to talk about his favorite student... Serena." He chuckled, "There I was, thinking he was talking about me, and I find out he's talking about my wife." Darien laughed.

Mina shrugged, "That's hardly surprising. She's everyone's favorite student."

Serena nodded, "Yea, it has kept me out of detention in high school. I used to get it all the time in middle school."

"I remember that," Darien said. "I always wondered why you didn't just wake up earlier."

Serena rolled her eyes and said, "Because, I like to sleep. Duh."

"Is it strange that your argument is actually making sense to me now?" he asked her.

She leaned on his shoulder and said, "Yes, it really is."

That night, when it was dark, Darien and Serena stood out on their private balcony. She had already transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon inside their room to not draw attention to her transformation.

She flapped her wings and looked nervous, "What if I fall?"

Darien rolled his eyes, "I'll catch you, of course."

She nodded and took flight. She soared out over the city, high in the sky, using the New Moon to help disguise her. When she landed, she was wide eyed, "It was so beautiful from up there!"

Darien pulled her into his arms, "You are magnificent." He began kissing down her neck.

She chuckled and said, "You can't resist me in this transformation, can you?"

He shook his head, "Hell, no."

This time she de-transformed before they fell into bed together in their temporary bed.

Tuesday, Beryl was in a better mood. Rubeus was almost there, and her plan to gain all of Metalia's power was on schedule. She would be Queen of Earth. She only needed to locate the reincarnation of Endymion to get everything she wanted.

As much as she hated Molly, she decided that her personal vendetta could wait. Sapphire's death had sharpened her focus. She needed to stay on task to achieve her goals. Molly could always be killed later. In fact, she could get the pleasure of killing her herself. She liked that idea.

Beryl's next step in her plan was to syphon off some of the energy collected for Metalia and bestow it on herself. She needed more power to stay one step ahead of such other powerful beings. She just had to be careful not to get caught.

Maintaining her alliance with Diamond went a long way towards her plan. She was relieved when he didn't seem upset over his brother's death. He didn't even seem to mind that she couldn't produce his body. Her word had been enough.

Sapphire was going stir crazy in the penthouse. Rui was at school along with everyone else. He finally decided to leave and go shopping. Serena had shown him how, and Darien had handed him money. He assured him that he was glad to do it since the information he gave them would help keep Serena safe. He also had helped Serena achieve a new transformation and more power.

Once he left the building, he headed towards the grocery store. He decided he would try and make something for Rui for dinner. She had planned on coming over that evening. He wanted to surprise her. He still felt like he wasn't able to convey to her now much she meant to him.

He gathered the ingredients at the store, paid for them, and went back to the penthouse. The doorman greeted him. It amused him that the man had no idea that he was, in fact, an alien. He chuckled.

The look on Rui's face when she saw that he had cooked for her made everything worth it. She immediately leaned in and kissed him. It was a very good night for Sapphire.

Wednesday was an exciting day for Beryl. Rubeus arrived and immediately bowed to her. She was glad he was submitting to her right away. One more thing that was going right for her.

She immediately got him up to date on what was going on, and she informed him about the group that killed Diamond's brother. She also let him know that his top priority was the Legendary Silver Crystal. If he happened to kill Molly in the process, that was just a bonus.

He smiled, bowed, once he was dismissed, and left the room. He had Diamond's orders to discover if Sapphire was really dead. He was told that if he wasn't, to ensure that he finished the job. Diamond had wanted him dead, and now he had the perfect cover to make sure it was true, if Beryl was wrong.

Now Rubeus had to ensure he was seen following the orders from both Beryl and Diamond. That was quite a tall task, but it was the only way he could assure he stayed alive. Luckily for him, he was good at surviving.

Serena was laughing and dancing around their room, and Darien was smiling at her. He loved how full of life she always was. The music changed into something slower, and he stood up and stepped close to her. "May I have this dance?" He pulled her close and danced with her. She beamed up at him. He loved how he could make her smile.

Sammy was hanging out in Ryan's room. They had just finished studying and were about to play a video game. Ryan asked, "So, your brother-in-law is now your guardian?"

"Yea, it's kinda awesome. He still watches me like a hawk, but it's because he cares."

"And, you get to live in that penthouse." Ryan pointed out. "Hey, so have you heard of the Sailor Scouts?"

Sammy's hands grew clammy, "Yea, I have. Why?"

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Because they're hot! Duh. Which one is your favorite?"

Sammy knew this was heading in a bad direction for him. What could he possibly say? He absolutely couldn't say his sister. And, if he said any of the other girls, the guys would kick his ass. He panicked, and said, "Sailor Mercury." He always thought Zoisite was the calmest and the most easy going of them all. He hoped he was right, if he ever found out.

"I think Sailor Moon is so sexy!" Ryan announced. "I don't get how she isn't your favorite."

Sammy turned red. He just knew this was going to be bad. Then he had a thought, "Well, she's obviously with Tuxedo Mask, so good luck with that."

Ryan sighed, "Yea, but he's kind of a sissy. He just throws roses and moves her out of the way of attacks. I could do that."

Sammy almost couldn't breath. He was laughing so hard tears started to come to his eyes. "I would love to see you say that to his face! Plus, she seems to think he has a lot to offer. I heard she can't keep her eyes off of him."

Ryan shrugged, "It's not like I will really ever get to meet them. It is fun to fantasize about her though."

Sammy was instantly sick to his stomach.


	52. Discovery

Blueeyeddevil06 Thank you for being the best beta!

Chapter 52 - Discoveries

Rubeus smirked as he secretly contacted Emerald. He knew Beryl wouldn't be able to trace his communications with her. She didn't even suspect him of being anything other than completely subservient to her. She had proven quickly to him why Metalia used her thousands of years ago and had her reincarnated now. She was not good at hiding her motives or at suspecting other people's motives at all. She was simple, and Emerald was far superior to her in intelligence and beauty, if you asked him.

He prepared for his first attack. He carefully chose the youma that he would be talking with him. He anticipated the outcome immensely.

Andrew, Molly, Rui, and Sapphire were having a picnic together. Sapphire had insisted on planning everything and making the food. It was a, 'I'm sorry I tried to kill Molly' picnic. When Andrew heard that, he just laughed at Sapphire, shook his head and said he would be there. Molly had already forgiven him. That was enough for Andrew.

They were all sitting together eating. Andrew and Sapphire got along quite well and had been forming a friendship. Sapphire couldn't remember a time before this when he was able to relax around everyone. He had always been on his guard around his brother and the Black Moon Clan.

Everyone was laughing until the first youma showed up. Molly groaned, "Again?! Seriously, how do they always find me?"

Rubeus stepped out of a portal and stared in shock at Sapphire. Never did he assume that he would be so easy to find. As the first youma attacked, Rubeus shot an incredibly small dart at Sapphire. It was embedded deep in his skin. Rubeus just smiled. Perfect.

Very quickly, the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and the generals showed up. To their horror, they saw ten youma attacking people at the park. Serena had transformed into Eternal Sailor Moon and her attack power astounded her. On top of that, the other Scouts discovered that they, too, had more advanced transformations and were able to access more powers.

There were loud cheers when they were able to make short work of all of the youma, dusting them all quickly.

Right before Rubeus disappeared into a portal, he winked at Sapphire, who was standing protectively over Rui. Rubeus said, "I will be seeing you."

Sapphire was almost out of his mind with worry. Not only did the Dark Kingdom know he was alive, but they also knew about Rui. She was now in mortal danger. He was under no allusions. He knew Diamond wanted him dead, and that he told Rubeus to make sure it happens.

Later that evening, after Sapphire couldn't take it anymore, he approached Darien. With a shaky hand, and an unsteady voice he said, "Is it asking too much if I ask you if Rui could move in here? It's safer-"

"-and what I was already coming to talk to you about." Darien said. "I, of all people, understand what you are facing. She is welcome to move in at any time. Keep her safe. She will have our protection too."

Sapphire was relieved, "Thank you. I can't risk anything happening to her."

Serena smiled from the doorway and said, "Like he said, Darien understands being overprotective."

"I wouldn't call it overprotective." he said to Serena, mainly in his own defense.

She shook her head, "You're right. I should have said that he understands the desire to protect those you love. It's sweet. Call her. She can stay here tonight. We don't want her to be at risk for one minute."

"I'll do that." Sapphire started and pulled out his phone to do just that. He left to go speak to her in private.

Darien smiled at Serena and he said, "You head to bed. I will be there after I put away my homework I had been working on."

She gave him a sultry smile and said, "Oh, I will be waiting for you."

Darien walked into their bedroom and stopped short. There was Serena laying on their bed in an ethereal gauzy negligee. She almost looked like an exotic moon flower to him. That gave him an idea. He picked up one of the velvety soft moon flowers that were still in a vase on his night stand and went to glide it over her creamy skin.

The moment he touched her with the flower, they were immediately on the moon. Serena was laying in a bed of soft flowers. He looked down at her and said, "You look stunning."

She smiled up at him and rolled her eyes, "We're transported to the moon suddenly, and you are talking about how I look."

"I'm not even sorry. You look like a goddess." He helped her up, and he pulled her close. "That was unexpected though."

"Do you remember where we are?"

He nodded and motioned behind him, "Right there is the garden entrance to your room."

She gave him a sultry look, "I think I would like to see what my bed looked like first."

He growled and nodded, "I completely agree." He pulled her towards the door and opened it. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he stopped, "Endymion hasn't been this far. Your mother was rather protective of your virtue."

She smiled at him and then paled. All of a sudden, she remembered the nightly walks she took on the moon. "I remember. I mean, I don't remember my past life. I remember talking with Endymion on the moon." She laughed, "I yelled at him too."

He nodded, "He agreed that you are sexy when you're mad."

She laughed and shook her head. "Let's check out the room together."

She stepped into her room holding Darien's hand, and she collapsed on the floor. He bent down in panic and lifted her up. When she opened her eyes, she smiled up at him and said, "I remember. Everything. I have Serenity's memories now."

He bent down and kissed her. "What do you think of it all?"

She smiled and said, "I think I want you to make love to me now that I remember how much she wanted Endymion too."

He looked her in the eyes, knowing she had Serenity's memories and he had Endymion's. He chanced asking her his current desire. "Serena, we remember them and their love. I also remember what Endymion wanted to do to Serenity when he finally got his hands on her. Are you up for it? He was used to getting his way and having the power."

She rubbed her legs together for some relief. "Yes, I want that. I remember some of the things he used to whisper to Serenity."

He stalked towards her, "Tell me if at any time-"

"No! I want it." she interrupted. "I trust you, Darien."

His face softened, and he nodded. Then he pierced her with his stare. He prowled towards her and almost looked like a panther stalking his prey. He kissed her passionately and made her toes curl.

His hands were then on her ass, lifting and pressing her against him as he walked her backwards towards the bed. He laid her out on the bed and stripped off her lingerie. He then took her hands above her head and held them together. He took her long streamers of hair in the other hand and wrapped them around her wrists, using them to tie her up.

He removed his clothes, making sure she watched. He loved how her eyes lingered on his cock. He almost lost it when she licked her lips, staring at it. He leaned forward, sucked on her lips and nipped at them. He rocked back on his haunches and stared at her body.

"Roll over and ass up." he demanded.

She rolled over with her wrists still tied together and got up on her knees. He ran his hand over her ass and slid his fingers into her pussy. She moaned and rocked towards him. He withdrew his fingers. "NO," he said, "You stay still, and I get to play with you."

She nodded, and he slid his fingers along her pussy again. He listened to her mewl. "There is a good girl. Now, spread your legs some more."

She did immediately. He leaned forward and licked her pussy. "You taste so good. Also, you are dripping wet."

She nodded and said, "Yes. S'good."

He smirked. He barely started, and she was barely coherent already. Good. He got on his knees behind her and slid his cock inside of her warm, tight pussy. He loved watching his cock slide inside of her. It was erotic. He pulled almost all of the way out and slid back in. Fuck, was that hot.

He felt her tremble, and he asked if she was okay. All she could do was frantically nod and rock back against him pressing his cock inside of her.

He looked down at her body, needy and wanting him. He then realized that he had the one thing in the galaxy he wanted for thousands of years. Her.

He drove himself into her, and she opened up her mind to him as he opened his to her. He was overcome with how much she liked it, how good she felt and how amazing and tight she was around his cock. He knew every movement that brought her pleasure and every stroke that brought his. He wanted her and needed to give her mind blowing pleasure. He teased and played with her breasts, her pussy, her clit. He felt her tighten her inner walls around him and heard her moan and then scream his name.

Harder. She demanded.

Darien worried: I don't want to hurt you.

You better fuck me harder or I am going to hurt you.

He drove himself into her hard and heard his balls slap against her. He relished the sound of sex.

It was fucking bliss. When they both came hard, gasping and panting for air, they collapsed. He managed to pull her into his arms and hold onto her while they panted for breath. Her hair had come unwound from her wrists, and she held onto him with trembling arms. She had exerted her muscles enough that they were left like jello.

"We didn't break the bed." she commented.

He chuckled, "There is always next time."


	53. Planning

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta.

Chapter 53 - Planning

"Next time, we should try it in our superhero forms." Serena said.

Darien shook his head, "If we break the bed here, I don't know how to get one delivered to the moon."

She laughed, "Good point!" She looked around. Now that she wasn't blinded by passion, she noticed the room. "This room is incredible. It is just like it was in my memories. Well, Serenity's."

"Now that I can think of anything beside having sex with you...gosh, you drive me wild...I am wondering how we get back to Earth."

She smirked, and said, "Pull out a rose, and touch me with it."

He nodded. He wanted to explore the moon with her, but not tonight. For one, his legs weren't ready for that yet. She wasn't the only one left feeling like jello after that orgasm. Also, he was a little worried about what would happen if it didn't work. He pulled out a rose and drug it over her naked breasts.

He was so busy listening to her moan and watching her nipples pebble that he missed when they arrived back in their bedroom. He did notice her smirk. "What?"

"You were worried, but I told you it would work."

He nodded, and said, "The only problem being that we left our clothes on the moon."

She laughed and said, "That isn't ever a sentence I thought I would hear in my life. We'll just have to go back and get them soon. In the meantime, I like the feel of that rose on my skin. You can go back to that."

He caressed her skin with the rose and watched her squirm under it. Once enough time had passed for him, he was buried inside of her again. He couldn't get enough of her. Luckily for him, she felt the same way about him.

Later, as they lay completely spent, Serena smiled at him, and said, "It's strange, but nice having Serenity's memories. I believed you before, when you said I was a better version of her for you now. It's just nice to be able to understand fully what you meant. As fabulous as they were together, I like the way we are better. You protect me, and care for me, but I am still able to be stronger. Endymion wouldn't have liked that about me."

He chuckled, "I am glad you see it now. I'm also relieved to hear you truly believed me before."

She kissed his bare shoulder, "I do have to say, it's nice to know all of that princessy stuff now. She spent a lot of time studying it. Now, I don't have to."

He laughed loudly, "Of course, you would be glad you get to skip that studying."

"I would argue that was the only thing Endymion didn't like. He thought she was too poised and wasn't able to be herself."

Darien agreed, "Yes, I would say that the fact that he brought out her more natural self made him happy."

She laid in his arms as she sorted through Serenity's memories. She got to one, and she started chucking.

"What?" he pressed.

She turned her head to smile at him and said, "She had the same reaction to Endymion when he wore a mask at the masquerade that they both attended. She wanted him to wear it for her when they were kissing and touching later."

Darien looked puzzled, "I don't remember him doing that. He would have done anything for her."

"Just like you would for me." She sighed, "They died less than a week later."

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "I am so glad we can experience all of these things together. It reminds me to never take this for granted. You are incredible."

She settled her head in the crook of his shoulder. "We'll win. Beryl and everyone else will be destroyed. I won't have our lives together cut short, again."

"I completely agree. We will fight side by side, and we will prevail."

"Now, if only I was as confident about my math test tomorrow."

He shifted them both so he could look her in the eye, "No cheating."

"Only a little bit."

"No, I won't help you." He knew that was an empty threat, and he would be helping her on her test the next day. As wrong as he knew it was, he couldn't say 'no' to her when she needed help.

She snuggled back in his arms and said, "Okay, Stud Muffin. Whatever you say." She didn't believe he would refuse to help her. Especially if she threatened him with distractions. She knew if she sent him images of her touching her naked body, he would give in quickly. He wouldn't be able to handle that distraction in class.

They both drifted off to sleep, content in each other's arms.

The next day during Serena's math test, she was disappointed when she heard him sigh and help her with her test. She didn't get to torture him. She would have to use it some other time.

A couple days later, Darien was the only one in the penthouse. Serena had gone to hang out with her friends, and Sapphire was out of town with Rui. She had a tennis match out of town and he wouldn't let her go alone, with Rubeus out there looking for him. He couldn't stomach the idea of her being used against him.

The delivery company arrived, he showed them where the bed frame was going to be, and they said they would set it up. He let them know he would be in his office, and he went to go study while they bolted it together. He chuckled over that.

While he was in his office, he didn't realize that one of the movers stepped out of their room and into the living room. He walked over to a lamp and planted a bug on it. Rubeus smiled, went back to the guys, and finished helping them put everything together. He was thrilled that everything was still going perfectly to plan. Now, onto stage two.

Rui smiled after she won her first match. Sapphire was looking at her like she was the most incredible thing he had ever seen. He said, "Wow, you are so good at Tennis. I can't believe you made some of those shots!"

She blushed and smiled, "I'm so glad you came."

Andrew sat there holding Molly while they both studied. He loved holding onto her while he read through his text books and studied for his class. He paused his reading and looked at her, "Are you sure you didn't want to go and hang out with the girls today?"

She shook her head, and replied, "I really just want to be here with you right now." She paused, "Truthfully, I am struggling a bit. With this new enemy here, I just really need to be held by you. After you killed Bazzite to save me, I feel so much safer when I am around you."

He held her tighter, and kissed her neck. "You know how to make me feel like a man."

"I don't have to make you feel like one. You already are." she countered.

He ghosted his hand over her body, "I beg to differ. You definitely make me feel all man."

She moaned and leaned up to kiss him. "Why don't we take a study break? I would like you to show me how much of a man you are."

He moaned and tackled her, kissing her body. "Oh, it's on."

Serena was sitting at the Arcade with the other girls, laughing. She was glad that, with all of the stress of the new enemy, they could still take it easy.

"We really needed the break. I can't believe there is someone new from the Black Moon Clan. Ugh!" Mina said. "And, what I want to know is why every guy we meet is hot?! Right? Don't get me wrong, Rubeus is a bad guy, but sometimes that helps."

Raye snorted, "Kunzite would die if he heard that!"

Mina rolled her eyes, "I leave Kunzite plenty satisfied. He knows he is the only one for me."

Lita shook her head, "Hey, Serena is the only one here that has actually broken her bed."

Everyone's eyes shifted to look at Serena. She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, you didn't know about that before?"

Mina's eyes were huge, "No, I didn't. Wow, how did you do that?"

Serena blushed, "We were both in our superhero forms. It was pretty spectacular. We are getting the new bed right about now. Darien is studying at home while they set it up."

Amy paled, "The physics involved in that are… Wow." she paused. "Wait, superhero form. That is a great idea." She realized what she said out loud and blushed.

They all burst out laughing, again.

The four generals were all meeting at Kunzite's place. They were determined not to fail Darien and Serena like they had in the past. They knew they needed a plan before the next strategy meeting at the penthouse the next day.

Zoisite sighed, "I was working with Amy and we had an idea. We worked out which skills we have that would best match up with different types of youma. We have a whole spreadsheet, and we will present it tomorrow."

Kunzite said, "Good. Any other ideas?"

They spent three hours running through ideas and strategies that they fleshed out. By the end of their planning session, they were ready for the meeting. Kunzite desperately wanted to show Darien that they would keep them safe.


	54. Hearing New Things

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta.

The layout for the penthouse includes a large room at the center that houses the dining room and living room in one open space. That will become important for the story. I am working on the theory that the bug in the living room would pick up talking in the dining room and living room clearly.

Chapter 54 - Hearing New Things

The next evening, Darien and Serena met with their generals and Senshi at the penthouse. Sammy, Andrew, and Molly attended too. Rui and Sapphire were still out of town at her Tennis Tournament. She had been winning all of her matches. When Sapphire called and let Darien know they would still be out of town, he couldn't help the pride that came through over the phone. He was incredibly proud of her.

Serena sat at the head of the table in the dining room. Sitting in the formal dining room was how they delineated a friendly gathering from official business. She sat with Darien to her right. She was the Crowned Princess of the Silver Millenium. He insisted she outranked him.

Amy and Zoisite passed out their spreadsheet on the powers that everyone had that best went against different youma from the past and theoretical ones that they might face. They then proceeded to read through the document and made sure that everyone was clear on who should be attacking when certain youma appear.

Lita nodded, and said, "This makes so much sense! Thank you. It is pretty intuitive, but it will be nice to know everyone immediately is on the same page of who should be attacking. We aren't left guessing if everyone else sees what we do. Awesome work!"

Kunzite spoke next, "Everyone knows that I was foremost Serena's shield when healing Sapphire had been the agenda. There is a bit of an adjustment on that now. Mina will protect Serena and I will protect Darien. It will be that way in the future. Sapphire was a special case, of course."

Darien nodded, "I agree. I know I tend to feel overprotective of Serena. I liked her double shield."

"Triple shield," Mina pointed out. "It was a triple shield. You have also been her protector. You have saved her from being hit many times."

Sammy started laughing and then tried to cover it up. Everyone looked at him expectantly and he sighed. "You're going to make me tell you. Aren't you?" Serena nodded. "Ryan called Tuxedo Mask a sissy. He said he just saves Sailor Moon and throws roses. It was funny. I told him that I would like to hear him say that to Tuxedo Mask's face. He didn't think he would ever get to meet him."

Darien grumbled, "It's not sissy."

"I also pointed out that Sailor Moon seemed quite taken with Tuxedo Mask."

Jadeite started laughing, "He has the hots for Sailor Moon, doesn't he?"

"Yup, he asked me who I have the hots for too."

Serena laughed, "Who did you pick?"

"I actually picked the one who's boyfriend would be the most understanding of my situation and the least likely to kill me if he found out. Sailor Mercury." Sammy stated.

Zoisite glared at him, "I am also the one who would be able to poison you without you finding out until later."

Sammy paled, "I really don't find any of them 'hot'; they are all of my sister's friends. That makes it so uncool. I just couldn't say that to him. I don't have a crush on any girl from this group."

Zoisite cracked his knuckles in annoyance. He didn't like the fact that he was the least threatening. He wanted Amy to know he was protective of her too.

"Shit, I am so going to get beaten up the next time we have kendo practice. Just don't go for my face. I would like to keep my teeth." Sammy asked of him.

The meeting got back on track after that, and they discussed strategies and formations. They were ready for anything that Rubeus threw at them.

Towards the end, Andrew asked, "So, if Rubeus is part of the Black Moon Clan like Sapphire, how many of them are going to come after us if we defeat him?"

Darien sighed, "There is Diamond and Emerald. Sapphire thinks a lot of his sister. He also knows that Diamond keeps control with an iron fist. She might be forced to act against him. Or, maybe she would do it willingly because that would please Diamond and would make her life easier. We don't know."

Serena nodded, "And, with all of that, Beryl is still a huge issue. We can't let her know who Darien really is."

They all agreed. The meeting was declared over, and they all headed home.

Rubeus couldn't believe his luck. The meeting took place, and the audio was perfect. He could hear everyone. He already knew Sapphire was out of town because of the tracker he had placed on him.

He carefully noted their abilities, strengths, and which youma they could face. He moved on to write down their battle strategies and their plans. He also noted their command structure and who was head of each guard. It was interesting to him that Serena had a brother.

Rubeus contacted Emerald to update her on everything. They were right about her too. That was very interesting to him.

After Amy and Zoisite left, she desperately searched her mind for a plan. She was incredibly smart, and she knew what was going through his mind after Sammy said he was the least threatening. She wanted to make him understand that she didn't feel that way about him. His fierceness actually caught her off guard sometimes. She knew he would protect her from anything.

She drew him to the side and asked if he would walk in the park with her. She knew it was silly that she was hoping they would be attacked by a mugger so he could feel better about how he would protect her. She knew she wouldn't be that lucky.

She pulled him over to a bench and sat in his lap. She didn't typically act like that, but she knew it would get his attention. It worked.

He chucked and sighed, "So, I'm that obvious?"

She nodded, "You are, but you are also silly. I was actually hoping someone would try to mug us so that you could beat him up. I don't fear anything when I am around you."

"You would be just as able to beat up a human mugger."

"Yes." she huffed. "But, it would be sexier watching you do it."

He cocked his head and stared at her, "You would like me to beat someone up?"

"Not some random person, but yea, someone who was a bad guy. You are really sexy when you are fighting. I don't get to stand back and admire you when we are fighting youma."

He stared at her and took her hand, "There was something I wanted to try. Darien and Serena are soulmates and can speak to each other telepathically. Well, we're soulmates too. Why shouldn't we be able to? They didn't even know they could until he was terrified for her life. What if we just haven't tried it. What if we could too?"

Her eyes grew misty, "If this works or not, don't you ever for a second think you don't fight hard enough for me. This is the single most romantic thing you could give me. I would have never dreamed we could do it. To put our love together with Serena and Darien's, wow."

He closed his eyes to concentrate, and he thought of his desperate need to show her how much he loved her and wanted to fight for her. He thought of how, deep down, he wasn't able to fully express how he felt about her. He desperately wanted her to feel it.

He heard Amy gasp and cry. He looked up and noticed the sound wasn't audible, but coming from inside of her. They were communicating telepathically. She said: I can't believe we can do this too.

I am not surprised that our love and bond is equal to theirs. We are soulmates too, after all.

She let him into her feelings. His head whipped up, and he looked her in the eyes. Hers were clouded with desire. He felt how much she wanted him right now. What she wanted him to do to her, the ways she wanted him to touch her.

They made it to his apartment quickly and fell into his bed together. She said: Transform into your superhero form, now. She was already becoming Sailor Mercury.

He looked startled and followed suit. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "Mina isn't the only one who is competitive. I apologize in advance for breaking your bed."

He grew even harder and nodded. "No problem. Really."

That night, Amy let go of all of her inhibitions. She was assured that he enjoyed everything she wanted to do to him. He was joyously overwhelmed with the sex kitten that came out to play that night.

As they slept on the couch together that night, he wasn't even sorry that they had broken his only bed. They could just get a new one tomorrow.

~ Reviews are love


	55. Commitment

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you again for being my beta.

Chapter 55 - Commitment

The next evening, Kunzite answered his door quickly. Whoever was there was knocking incessantly. When he opened it, a very pissed off Mina stood there. She marched in with her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"What?" he asked. He squirmed under her intense stare.

"Like you don't know!" she huffed.

He shook his head, "I have no idea what I did to piss you off."

She crossed her arms and said, "We are having sex right now! Transform."

"What? I'm still confused."

"Zoisite and Amy broke their bed frame now. Amy! Sweet, kind, brainy, Amy. I am not going to be outdone by them."

Kunzite held up his hands and said, "Wait, I only have one bed here. If we break it, where will we sleep?"

"My place, the floor, the roof. I don't care." She transformed into Sailor Venus.

Instantly, Kunzite was trying to figure out why he was fighting this. She was sexy all of the time, but in that short skirt and tight top, he grew hard. He pulled her up against his body, and he transformed too.

Later that night, he wondered if the group could get a bulk discount on bed frames. They dressed and made their way to Mina's place to sleep that night. That gave him an idea.

"Mina, why aren't we getting married?"

She rolled her eyes, "Because you haven't asked me to marry you, idiot."

"Will you marry me? I mean I don't have a ring, but we did break a bed frame tonight, in two places. Surely the fact that we one upped everyone else has to count for something." he reasoned.

She chuckled, "So, is it weird if you're right? I get to tell everyone tomorrow about the bed, and you will go buy a ring."

"Deal."

"Okay, I will marry you."

Two days later, the next attack came from Rubeus. The amount of youma was staggering. They each had two youma to defeat a piece. They knew it was Amy and Zoisite's planning that enabled them to divide and conquer. Sailor Moon was exhausted after dusting all of the youma.

Much to everyone's annoyance, and no absolutely one's surprise, Molly was there when the attack happened. But, to their horror, as the fight was finishing up, Rubeus appeared and was within attacking distance of Molly. What they couldn't figure out was why, when he had the chance, he didn't kill her.

That night, Andrew and Molly stayed in the guest room at the penthouse. He didn't want her sleeping alone, and he knew he couldn't sleep over at her parents' place with her. He held her tightly and whispered words of love and strength to her. He only relaxed when she fell asleep. He wanted to kill Beryl. He was incredibly glad he killed Bazzite already.

Beryl was furious. "You didn't kill Molly? She was right there, defenseless, and yet she lives! You're useless!" She threw her glass of wine and it crashed onto the floor. She pointed at a servant, "You! Clean that up now!"

Rubeus bowed. Outwardly, he was calm, "Queen Beryl, I only want to serve you. I saw her and calculated her strength. She is less than nothing. She can be squished like a bug at any time. I could've killed her, and that would have satisfied you for now. Am I wrong with assuming there would come a time when you would wish that it was you who wrapped your hands around her throat and got to watch the life get crushed out of her?"

She calmed, and sat back on her throne. "Hmmm. I didn't think of that. It would be nice to kill her myself. I would like to watch her eyes when they cloud over in death."

He bowed again, "I am only trying to serve you to the best of my ability. If I was wrong, I am sure I will have another time soon where I could kill her for you."

She shook her head and held up her hand, "No. No, you are right on this one. I do want to kill her myself. I am glad you didn't. Very well done anticipating my wants."

He walked out of her throne room with his head held high. Yes, everything was going exactly to plan. It was time to update Emerald on the latest developments.

When he did, it came as a surprise to him that Diamond was getting close to Earth already. He would be there in less than a week.

He sighed and said, "I can't wait until you arrive."

"You really want Diamond there that badly?" she asked, surprised.

"No, you. I want you here that badly. My bed has gotten very lonely without you here."

Her voice grew tight, "Oh." was all she said, but he heard it.

"What?"

"Diamond made it very clear you were to fulfill all of her needs."

"You can't actually believe I would sleep with her when I am in love with you."

She sighed, "Well."

"No! No, I don't care if that would anger him or her. No! I would never cheat on you. How can you not know that?" he was deeply hurt.

"Sorry, I just know how Diamond is. My whole life, my brother got everything he wanted. It isn't you that I doubt. It's his ability to get things to go his way that I was thinking about." she explained.

"Well, listen to me now. I will never cheat on you. I am desperately in love with you. I would die before I hurt you. You are the reason I am doing everything that I am. If I lose you, then I lose my purpose. I will do anything but hurt you." he said with steel in his voice.

He heard her sniffing. "I am sorry. I promise to never doubt you again. I love you so much. I get a little crazy sometimes."

"Just remember that this is all for you." He paused and said, "I do want to see you soon. Everything is working according to plan."

That night, when they ended their communication, he was sad. He wished she had told him she was worried about his faithfulness sooner. He hated that she went one second believing that he would sleep with Beryl. He shuddered in disgust. He wouldn't want to even if Emerald wasn't around.

Beryl was pleased with how everything was going. They had not only managed to get some energy from the youma that attacked that day, but she was also able to syphon some off. She felt the extra power coursing through her veins. She flexed her fingers and energy sparked in between them. It was incredible. And, she smiled to herself. Metalia was none the wiser.

Metalia sat deep in the crystal, absorbing the small amount of energy she had received. It had been so little, but she was still pleased. Beryl had absorbed some of the energy, thinking she had done it unnoticed. The energy had been tainted to make Beryl's body stronger and better able to house Metalia once she broke free. Once she was inside of Beryl's body, Beryl would effectively be dead. She was very pleased.

Diamond was excited that they were heading towards earth. Emerald thought he didn't know about her relationship with Rubeus. Of course, he did. It only made Rubeus easier to control. After all, Emerald was with him on the ship and under his complete power. He held all of the cards.

Serena had just finished dinner with Darien and Sammy when Darien smiled and said, "Now, I have a surprise for you." He took her hand and led her towards the study.

Sammy rolled his eyes and said, "I will clean up the dishes and then be in my room. I'll be listening to music, loudly."

Darien didn't even blush. He just looked at Sammy and said, "Thank you."

Serena followed Darien to the study, and as soon as he opened the doors, she teared up.

"Oh my gosh! I love it. Our desks are here. Oh! And, you got that leather couch I loved. And the bookcases are perfect!" she beamed.

I was hoping you'd like it. He smiled, "I left your bookshelves bare so you could fill them the way you wanted to. I didn't know if you would want to keep your manga in here or somewhere else. I didn't know if you would think it looked serious enough for your official desk."

She laughed, "Remember you gave me that old bookcase?" he nodded. "Didn't you wonder where it went? It is in my closet. I have them all stored in there. I can easily access them from our room so I can read them in there, and they don't mess with the fancy penthouse."

"I don't mind where you put them. You could even keep them in my bookshelf."

She smiled, "You are sweet. I will keep some in here. Probably by the couch. That way, when you are studying, I can sit in here with you."

"I would like that." he smiled at her.

She looked puzzled, "Now, why did my brother say the music would be loud? I was expecting something else from his reaction."

"Sex?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He smirked at her and said, "Well, he knows us. We can't get enough of each other. That, and he overheard what I wanted to do to you on my desk. You did promise we could have sex on my desk first."

She smiled at him, "Oh. That, I did." She ran her hand over his desk. "It is rather large. It would give us plenty of-"

She was cut off by him lifting her up and sitting her on his desk. He ran his hands along her bare legs, under her skirt and pulled off her panties. He said, "It's time to christen this desk."

She was really glad that she knew Sammy's music was up loud that night.


	56. The Unexpected

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta!

Chapter 56 - The Unexpected

Diamond arrived on Earth and hid his presence from Beryl. Rubeus assured him that she wasn't smart enough to figure out that they were scheming against her. Rubeus was aggravated, but not surprised, when Diamond kept Emerald with him. He desperately wanted to see her. It was torture being away from her. Diamond, of course, knew that.

The previous week, Rubeus had taken the youma and attacked twice. Everytime he attacked them, he used more and more. Beryl was pleased with his attempts against them every time. He had watched as the group threw attack after attack at the youma. He knew, at any time, he could have gotten involved and turned the tides of the battle. They just didn't know that.

Sapphire was at his wits end. He knew that Rubeus was powerful and that Beryl would give him full access to her entire force. He paled when he saw the sheer number of youma he was throwing at them for each battle. He worried for his new friends. He was determined to be at every battle that he could. He wouldn't let them fight without him when it was his own people doing this.

Rubeus knew now was the time to attack and bring Diamond along. It was time to execute his full plan.

Diamond waited in the wings as he watched Rubeus attack. He knew Sapphire was still alive. Rubeus had told him. Now, he just had to wait for his moment. As he did, he saw Tuxedo Mask transform into something new and pull out a sword. He laughed when the youma knocked the sword loose. Fool.

Sapphire dove out of the way of a youma, and Diamond cackled. Now was the time. He stepped out and was ready to kill Sapphire, when Rubeus screamed. Diamond spun to discover what happened. When he turned, he missed the fact that Sapphire had picked up the fallen sword. Sapphire stepped forward and plunged the sword through Diamond's back, killing him instantly.

Rubeus saw what happened, and he immediately commanded the youma to freeze. He then yelled, "Sailor Moon! Use your tiara. Now!"

She hesitated a second but couldn't see a trap. She launched her tiara at them, killing them all. Mina, Kunzite, and, of course, Darien had taken up a position of defense in case it turned out to be a trick.

Once all of the youma were dead, Rubeus smiled and clapped, "Very well done. Thank you." He then bowed to Sailor Moon. "I am at your mercy."

The whole group looked on in shock. They didn't know what to make of Rubeus' actions.

He said, "Why don't we go to your penthouse, Darien and Serena. I will tell you everything there. I have been working in your favor secretly from the beginning."

Sapphire looked stunned, "What the hell?"

"Diamond is dead. That was my goal. I have been working towards that this whole time. Please let me prove it to you." Rubeus said.

Darien looked frustrated, "How do you know who I am?"

"I also know you are Endymion. I haven't told, nor do I intend to tell Beryl that fact." he said.

They all looked at each other, and Darien nodded. Kunzite walked over to him and whispered, "We can kill him in the penthouse if we have to."

Darien admitted that Kunzite was right. He looked at Rubeus and said, "We will kill you if we don't believe you."

"I know."

They all sat in the living room in stunned silence, staring at Rubeus. He looked completely relaxed and assured of himself. As they stared at him, he sighed, stood, and walked over to the lamp, grabbing something from it. He then said, "Darien, catch." and tossed it at him.

Darien held a very small metal device in his hands and looked puzzled, "What's this?"

"This world is great. They have devices called "bugs" that you can plant in someone's home to listen in to everything that is said." He looked at Darien, "I was one of the guys who delivered your new bed frame."

Darien looked shocked, "I let you in my place without even knowing it? Wait! How did you even know where I live?"

Rubeus smiled again and said, "I shot Sapphire with a tracker at the first battle. I was prepared for anything. I was glad. I doubted that he was dead. I knew, if I was right, and he was alive, I would need to know where he was."

Sapphire's eyes grew huge, "That was what stung me in the neck!"

"Yup."

Serena asked, "Why didn't you just contact us? We would have worked with you, happily."

Rubeus' smile softened, "I know that, Your Highness, but I was already double crossing Beryl and Diamond. Adding you all into the secret would have made it even harder to keep everything from them. Your reaction to me kept everyone from suspecting I was moving against them."

"And, of course, that means you knew that we could easily defeat the youma you sent against us. You sent them in large numbers to actually make it look like you were trying. You calculated the best force to look fierce and not injure us." Amy stated.

Rubeus nodded, "That is correct. You and Zoisite laid that out so precisely for me yourselves."

Zoisite grumbled, "And, because of the bug, you had access to what we thought was a secret."

Rubeus nodded, "It did help me keep you all safe. So, really it was your work that enabled me to know which to send to not injure you all. Also, I knew where you all would be with the bug. It helped minimize damage to the city and innocent bystanders."

Andrew asked, "And, that was why you didn't kill Molly when you had the chance."

"Yes. I, naturally, had to come up with an excuse for Beryl. I told her that I calculated the difficulty of killing her and discovered it would be easy. I then said I didn't kill her so that Beryl could have the satisfaction of killing Molly herself." Rubeus sighed, "I really couldn't stomach killing any of you. Even to preserve my cover."

Molly beamed at him, "Thank you. I am grateful you didn't kill me." Andrew nodded adamantly too.

"So, you listened in to our conversations and knew what we were planning. What else did you learn?" Darien asked.

"Fair question. I learned that, with Serena as the head of the Silver Alliance and Queen of the Solar System, I can finally have peace." Rubeus looked at her, "With you as my leader, I will be able to live a life full of hope and love."

Darien's phone rang and, out of habit, he answered it. There was a request for a guest named Emerald to come up from the front desk.

Darien was startled, "There is an Emerald here. Is that even safe?"

Sapphire looked unsure, but Rubeus looked overjoyed. "All of this, I have done for her." He looked at Sapphire, "You know she wasn't safe around your brother. He wanted her dead, just like he wanted you dead. I am in love with her. I did this all to save her. I made sure to save you, too, because she loves you. She would have been heartbroken to lose you."

Sapphire smiled, "I have always liked her. With Diamond around, we were always on edge and weren't ever really able to talk. I am glad I can get to know her better now."

Darien had them let her up. The moment she stepped in the door, she was running to Rubeus crying. "I missed you! I am so glad Diamond is dead!" She pulled back and saw Sapphire. She then walked over to him. "I hope you can trust me someday. Diamond was a poison to everything around him."

Sapphire stepped forward and hugged her, "Sister, I am overjoyed that we get this time together. I am so glad you have found love so deep that he would take on Diamond for you."

Rubeus said, "Emerald, it was Sapphire who killed Diamond."

Sapphire chuckled, "I was able to because you screamed to draw his attention away from me."

He shrugged, "We worked well together."

"That is good since I assume you are going to become my brother."

Emerald nodded, "As soon as we can marry, we will." She pulled out a hidden ring. "He's already proposed."

They all spent the next hour talking. It was Earth shattering to discover that Rubeus was working in their favor this whole time. Darien drew on Endymion's memories. He was trained to spot lies and deception from a very young age. He had gotten quite good at it.

He had hated Beryl by the time she was ten. He knew she was a snake, and he was proved right. His mistake with her was underestimating her.

Finally, Darien said, "Serena, Sammy, Sapphire, and Rui, how do you all feel about us inviting Rubeus and Emerald to stay in the last guest room?" He looked at Serena's beaming face and said, "Well, I know your answer. What about the rest of you?"

Sammy said, "I am for it. Everything he said makes sense, and I know how much Sapphire probably wants to be with his sister. I, after all, felt the same way."

Rui blushed, "I don't technically live here."

Serena smiled at her and said, "Your opinion matters. Also, do you really think Sapphire will let you leave now after he has had you here?"

"But, it's not his place." she said.

Serena shook her head, "I would like it if you stayed. How is that? It will be fun to have some more women around. Plus, then you and Emerald can get to know each other."

Darien said, "So, it's decided. You both stay here."

Rubeus and Emerald were floored. Sapphire chuckled, "It takes some getting used to. We aren't really used to kindness. They are genuine, and they mean every kind word they say. It's incredible really."

And, so it was decided that Rubeus and Emerald would stay at the penthouse with them.

Beryl was livid. The servants scurried the first time they heard her blood curdling screams. Nothing was going according to her plans now.


	57. Knowledge

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you so much for being my beta. The whole part about Rubeus was a result of a long series of text messages between us one day. I would tell her my plan, and she would suggest improvements. It made everything so much better. And, so much more fun. It was her idea to keep Rubeus' plan as a surprise reveal. Because of that I had his reveal written before I did his arc. I wanted to make sure that everything tracked correctly.

Chapter 57 - Knowledge

Every time Sapphire saw Rubeus or Emerald around Serena, he had to hold back his laugh. He wasn't surprised over their reaction to her. It was just so predictable that it was funny. They adored her. Rightly so. She was so accepting and so happy to have everyone around her. After the life they had lived around Diamond, she was an anomaly. Kindness like hers wasn't something they even had a concept of.

It boggled their minds that she truly wanted nothing from them. Nothing in return for her care and acceptance. Sapphire noticed they looked uncomfortable at times. They didn't feel like they had been worthy of what she was giving them.

Two days after they moved in, Sapphire brought Rubeus a pad of paper and a pen. "This helped me accept her care. Write everything down you know about Beryl and Metalia. They will use it to defeat her."

Rubeus looked up at him gratefully, took them and started writing. "I feel the need to give her something back for all of this."

Sapphire looked him in the eye and said, "She will do anything for love. Love Emerald well.

Let her see your joy that you have together. That will be a huge blessing to her. Serenity and Endymion risked everything for love. They both feel responsible for protecting it in others. Especially from Beryl."

Rubeus took his time to outline everything he knew about Beryl. He wondered what he could add if Sapphire had done this already. He didn't care if it was a rehash of what Sapphire told them. They would be assured that he was being honest. He was. He desperately wanted to protect Serena. Emerald agreed.

Sammy walked in while Serena was sitting on the couch reading manga. He paused and looked at her funny.

Serena asked, "What?"

"Um, I don't know how to say this, but your hair is going grey." He fidgeted. He didn't know how she would take that.

She jumped up, ran to the nearest mirror and looked at her hair. "Oh my gosh! It isn't grey, it's silver. Serenity had silver hair. What am I going to do?" She looked at Sammy in panic.

Sammy stepped out of the room and went to find Darien. He yelled, "Hey, get in here. My sister is freaking out and I don't know how to handle it!"

Darien came walking in quickly and found her staring at her hair in the mirror, "Buns, what's wrong?"

"My hair. It's turning silver. How am I going to explain this?"

He smiled, walked forward and kissed her on the head. "Hair dye."

She chuckled, "I am going to need a lot. Now that I am looking, it appears my hair is growing faster too. Do you think unlocking her memories is going to change me into her?"

"You already are her. But, I know what you mean. And, I don't know. What I do know is that other than the hair there isn't anything physically different. The hair can be fixed with dye and a pair of scissors." he wrapped his arms around her.

"So, I am going to have to appoint one of the girls as my hair stylist." she chuckled. "Actually, do you have a preference? I could always let it go silver."

"I want what you want." he said. "You know I think you are perfect the way you are."

She rolled her eyes, "Stop trying to take the easy way out. Plus, the silver hair appears to be my natural color."

He shrugged, "I fell in love with you while you had your golden hair, but I love the silver too. I really don't know which I would prefer."

"Silver would be striking." she said. "But, it would also raise questions. I will dye it for now. I can always change my mind."

A few days later, Serena was sitting with all of the girls in the living room of the penthouse. It was girls night, and they made sure to invite Emerald too.

"Okay, so which one of you is good with scissors and hair dye?" she asked.

Mina appraised her, "So, your hair really is turning silver. I thought I was imagining it. I would be more than happy to dye it for you. I can cut it too."

"Thank you. It's so weird to be changing just because I got Serenity's memories."

Lita looked shocked, "Wait. You got her memories?"

Serena blushed. She thought about what transpired around that time too. "Yea, I did. It is crazy to remember a whole other life on the moon."

Molly paled, " So, how different are we?"

Serena instantly knew what Molly was getting at. She had shared the same fear after all. She beamed and said, "I don't know how to break it to you all, but I like you better the way you are now. Molly, you were great. You were my best friend after all, but it was always about me. You never voiced your opinion. I was always the princess around you. I didn't even know about your feelings for Andrew until Endymion told me. It was the same with you all. I got everything I wanted when I wanted it. It really isn't as good as it sounds. I like that we are equal. It felt a little lonely at times."

Emerald started laughing. She managed to say, "Sorry, it just struck me funny. You are so different than Diamond was. That is completely opposite of everything I ever knew of rulers. You truly are amazing."

Serena blushed, "It means so much that you say that. It really is nice having others here that are from the moon too."

Emerald said, "Which is why the three of us will follow you as our Queen. Gladly."

Serena shook her head in amazement, "It is going to take some getting used to."

"Speaking of being our Queen, would you perform the wedding ceremony for us? We can't really get married legally on Earth. We aren't citizens here."

Serena beamed, "I would be honored. As long and that is what Rubeus wants too."

"We've already discussed it. We were both hoping you'd say yes."

"Oh my gosh, what are moon vows like? I don't even know what to say!"

"We'll write our own." Emerald paused, "I don't even know where to start with planning a wedding though."

Mina brightened up and said, "I am great at planning parties, and Lita is the best cook. We will help you. This will be so much fun!"

Darien smiled at the girls and walked back to his office. He wanted to peak in on them and see how everything was going. He admitted to himself that, really, he just didn't like to go for long periods of time without seeing Serena.

He walked back in and nodded to Rubeus. "Serena has agreed, and the girls are going to all help her plan the wedding. She fits in perfectly."

"She's never had friends before. Diamond wouldn't allow it. You have no idea how great it is to watch her with them. I can't believe they accepted her so quickly."

"She is kind hearted and interesting. It isn't like she is hard for them to talk to. She'll get used to it."

Later that evening, after everyone had gone home, Darien was finishing up some homework in the office. He assumed that Serena was getting ready for bed.

As he finished his math assignment, all of a sudden, he felt her open up her mind and let him in. He was curious so he closed his eyes and concentrated on what was coming through their connection.

Once he did that, he saw and felt her hands drift down her neck and caress her breasts. She then let one hand slide down her stomach and to her clit.

Darien was in their room as fast as he could run there. He opened the door, walked in, shut it, and picked up a moon flower.

He said, "You have no idea what you just started." He removed his clothes then touched her with the flower and transported them to the moon.

He helped her up and said, "I have a fantasy of my own this time."

She smiled as he tugged her in the direction he wanted her to go. She couldn't believe how well it had worked.

Darien pulled her into the Library, turned and smirked at her. "You aren't the only one who had fantasies. One time I ran into you at the library at school. I was struck by how beautiful you were, and we were alone in the aisle. Later that night, I went home, and I couldn't get the thought of pressing you up against the shelves out of my head. I desperately wanted you."

She smiled, "It wasn't the day we were in there to research for that group project for history class, was it?"

"It was."

She moaned, "You should have pressed me up against the bookshelf. You weren't the only one who couldn't get that out of your head. I wanted you so badly." She bat her eyes, "I was so wet for you at that moment."

Darien surged forward, lifted her up, and pressed her to the bookshelf. He buried himself inside of her. He took her, and it was better than any fantasy. She was moaning and telling him how good it felt. How much she wanted it.

As they lay on the floor of the library, Serena said, "I can't even move right now. That was amazing."

Darien smirked, "Sex always is for us."

She nodded, "Yea, but that was so hot."

"So was you touching yourself and letting me in to experience it with you. How did you make it so that my hands could feel what yours felt?"

"What? You could?"

"Yea, I have always felt your emotions before, but never physical touch." He looked at her and noticed she was really surprised.

She reached over, grabbed a book off of the shelf and tried to transmit the feeling of the book to Darien. When she did, the results left them stunned.

Darien was holding the book she had just picked up. He looked shocked and said, "Wha…?" He tried to collect himself. "What just happened?"

She looked startled, "Maybe I wasn't sending you the feeling of touching me. Maybe you actually were."

"We can send physical items through our link. How is that even possible?"

She shrugged, "I know you like answers for everything, but does it matter if we figure it out right now? We can do it, and that is what matters. This is going to be so cool. When I forget a pen in class, I can get one from you!"

Darien let out a laugh. "At least you can't use it to have me help you cheat."

She shrugged, "I can also be at home touching myself and have it actually be your hand. That is really hot."

He grew hard again, "I think I am going to love this." He pulled her on top of him, and they made love again.


	58. Holding Onto The Future

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta!

There is a new one shot added to Finding Love: Serenity's Anger. Serenity confronts Darien over his treatment of Serena.

Chapter 58 - Holding Onto The Future

Darien helped Serena up off the library floor. He smiled down at her. "You look amazing when you are naked." He wrapped her up in his arms.

"It's a good thing you think so. You manage to see me like this, a lot." She smiled up at him and pressed her body against his.

"I am a huge fan."

She looked at his cock. "And, I know just how huge you are."

He smirked, "You sure do." He lifted her up and carried her though the palace to Serenity's room.

She rolled her eyes, "I am not up for another round yet."

He shook his head, "We have clothes to collect from this room."

"I have a very sheer nightie. You have clothes to collect."

He gave her a heated look, "I happen to love it on you."

He set her on her feet, and they both dressed. She spun and asked, "So, you like this?"

He nodded and ran his hands over her body. "Are you sure you aren't ready to go again?"

She ignored the question. She had plans for him later on. She pulled on his hand and led him into the garden. She looked at him and said, "We should pick a bouquet of flowers. The ones in our room haven't faded or wilted in the slightest. I think they last an incredibly long time on Earth. That, and we need a way back to the moon. You keep forgetting and leaving the flowers here."

"I get distracted by your hot, sexy, amazing body. It is your fault." he said as he ran his hands over her breasts.

She moaned and said, "Well, I think we should collect flowers and take them back to our place… Wait, I have a great idea. For Emerald's and Rubeus' wedding, we should supply the flowers. I think they would love to have Moon Flowers at the wedding."

He kissed the top of her head. "That is a beautiful idea, Buns."

She marveled at how his praise of her always made her feel stronger and better about her ideas and herself. Her mother had torn her down for so long. Darien was building her up in a fraction of the time. She thought she should tell him.

"Darien, the things you say to me. The encouragement you give to me. It matters. Everything my mother said fades more and more each time."

He pressed her up against the palace wall and kissed her deeply. "Serena, there is nothing you could have said to me right now that could have brought me more joy." He kissed her with a passion that started getting her turned on again.

He broke off the kiss, and she smiled up at him. "It's a good thing that we are superheroes. I don't think we could have this much sex if we weren't."

He nibbled at her neck as she unzipped his pants. He then lifted her up and slid himself into her. "I love making you feel good. In every way." he growled. "Hold on, I want you desperately." He then fucked her up against the palace wall in the garden as she moaned and praised him. He liked how much pleasure he brought her with every thrust. He spilled inside of her as they orgasmed, and he set her back on her feet. She made sure to lean against the wall. Her legs couldn't quite hold her up yet.

He zipped up his pants and smirked at her, "I will never get enough of you. You are like a drug, and I never want to stop touching you."

She gave him a weak smile. She was still in a haze from what he had done to her. "I want you just as much. That was amazing."

After he held her for a bit, they got their strength back. Serena then said, "Let's pick flowers and go back to the penthouse."

They picked a large bouquet, and then he pulled out a rose. He then stroked her neck with it, and they were standing in their bedroom. Serena put the flowers in a vase she had purchased for them earlier. She knew they would need to bring more back. She then stripped off her nightie, gave Darien a heated look and walked to their bathroom. Amazingly, she decided she wasn't done with him yet.

That night, they made love for the fourth time in the shower. Darien then carefully cleaned her up, washing every bit of her skin. She loved it when he was so careful of her and treated her so tenderly.

Serena fell asleep quickly, and Darien laid there thinking about his life. He wished he could go to his younger self and tell him how everything was going to turn out. That boy had just wished to belong and be loved. Two monumental things to him, at a young age. Now, he had such a deep love. He was holding the single most incredible thing in his life. Yes, he wished he could have told his six year old self about her. That his life would be better than he could ever fathom.

He also thought about how he regretted not asking her out earlier. He had been so worried that she wouldn't feel the same way about him. He owed Endymion and his father a huge debt. He hoped he was paying back on that debt by protecting and loving Senena. Not that it was the reason he did those things. Everything he did, he did out of his love and devotion to her.

He completely understood why Endymion wouldn't hesitate to die for Serenity. There was no way that he felt he could do anything differently. He would do anything to protect her. She was worth dying for. She was incredibly precious to him. He would always be her shield.

He reflected on the fact that even his chosen career path meant more to him with her in his life. He was excited to become a doctor and see her pride in him. He wanted to achieve so much now, just so that he could better take care of her and share his life with her.

He then pictured studying for med school while she laid on the couch in the office and read manga. He suspected she would tempt him away from his studies from time to time to fall into bed together. He then moaned as he pictured studying for anatomy with her laid out naked on the bed. He could tell her all of the parts of her body as he touched her. He looked forward to studying the male and female reproductive organs too. He chuckled. He would probably have a hard on during his test after that. It would be so worth it.

He then pictured Serena stopping by his workplace while he was in his residency and once he had a job. He would have to make sure to note the best supply closets they could sneak off to. He wouldn't have ever had that desire normally. Now, he desired her all of the time. He liked the idea of having sex with her up against the supply closet wall and then kissing her and knowing that she was his. He bet she would love it. She definitely had a playful side that translated into their sex life too. She brought that out of him also.

He also knew that she would be a huge help to him in his career. She was loved by everyone. Any boss or co-worker would be charmed by her. She would be able to shine at company dinners and charity events. She knew how to work a crowd. He would be so proud to walk into every room with her on his arm. He secretly liked the fact that he knew many of the men would be jealous of him.

That gave him a great idea. Tomorrow, he would recommend to her that she study political science in university. She was definitely good with people, which would be a huge asset. Now, she also had Serenity's memories which included her political training to one day become Queen. She would excel at that. He liked the idea that. if she went into politics, that his chosen career would help her in that field. Her marriage to a doctor would look good to the public. He liked the idea that he could be an asset to her too.

He gently kissed the top of her head. He loved that, when he thought of his future now, it seemed so bright and full of color. That was all because of her. Deep down, he knew he would have lost contact with his friends if he was left to his own devices. Med school and then being a doctor would have taken up so much of his time that he wouldn't have bothered to contact them. He suspected the guys would reach out to him years after he stopped. But, eventually, even they would have given up on him. She would never let him do that.

No, their lives would be full of good friends. He even had a brother now. Serena was the center of their group, and he got the pleasure of sharing that because of his proximity to her. His days of loneliness were definitely over.

He finally drifted off to sleep while holding onto the single, most amazing thing he had ever found in his life. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	59. A Wedding And New Discoveries

To everyone reading this story, thank you. Thank you for sticking with it for so long. It's the actual word count of a published book. This story is a lot to write, and a lot to read. Thank you, truly, for your time, I appreciate it. This story is so much fun to write.

I have one more chapter after this and then the Epilogue. I hope you all really enjoy the ending. I have a short story in the Sailor Moon Fandom that I have been working on. I am looking forward to posting it pretty soon.

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta. Also, thank you for all of your help with my story. It has been hugely influenced by you.

Chapter 59 - A Wedding And New Discoveries

Serena woke the next morning and noticed that Darien was holding onto her very tightly. She smirked, he must have been thinking about how much he loved her. She then fell back asleep with that joy and knowledge in her head.

A few weeks later, they were all in the penthouse. It was the day that Emerald and Rubeus were marrying and the day they would get on the ship that previously belonged to Diamond to head off on an extended honeymoon. They promised to return, eventually. Amy made a communication device for Serena and Sapphire so they could both get in touch with them.

Serena was trying to focus on the joy of the wedding rather than the idea that her new friends were leaving. The girls were all getting ready for the ceremony in the Master Suite, and the men were getting ready in the Junior Master Suite.

Serena smiled at Emerald and handed her a bouquet. "These are from Darien and me. They are moon flowers. We wanted you to have them for the wedding and to take when you travel. It will be a reminder to you of home, and us."

Emerald's eyes misted up, "Thank you! This is so special to have them. They are the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen." She hugged Serena tightly.

When they were done, Lita smiled and said, "Serena thinks of things like that."

Amy nodded, and added, "And, they look lovely with your dress."

Once they were all finished getting dressed, Serena went to head out to perform the wedding.

Emerald stopped her, "Wait, I just wanted you to know I am grateful for everything you have done. Thank you for being such a good friend to my brother too. He fits in so well here on Earth."

Mina said, "You fit in here too. I understand your need to discover who you are. It can't have been easy to be suppressed by your brother for all those years. I am so excited to see what you become."

Serena nodded, "You really do. Make sure you take care of each other. You are well matched." Serena stepped out to get ready to perform the ceremony.

The wedding was beautiful. Rubeus denied it, but he cried during the ceremony. When they kissed, they all cheered and moved to the dining room to have a banquet.

"Lita, you have really outdone yourself! This is amazing!" Serena exclaimed.

Rubeus nodded, "It sure is. Thank you all for making our day so special." He tried, but failed, to hide the fact that he was eager to get away.

Darien laughed, "I know that look. Why don't we let these two head off."

Serena smirked at Darien and said: If we don't, he is going to drag her into another room and we are going to have to pretend we don't hear moaning.

The only moaning I want to hear will be the moaning coming from underneath me tonight. He gave her a heated look.

Sammy rolled his eyes and stood. "I think it is time to say goodbye. I am good at reading the look Rubeus is giving Emerald. Darien looks at my sister like that. A lot."

They all chuckled and said goodbye to Rubeus and Emerald.

After the newlyweds left, they all sat around the living room. Darien appreciated that they had all stuck around. Serena was going to be sad that her friend was leaving. Having everyone else around would help her.

Jadeite sat back on the couch and held Raye in his arms. "So, when are we marrying?"

"You already asked me. I said yes." Raye shot back.

Jadeite rolled his eyes, "I know that. I mean we need a date, don't we?"

Raye shrugged, "You will need to get a nicer place first. You live in a studio."

"I thought I would move in with you and help you and your grandfather at the temple."

Raye looked up at him and smiled, "You would do that?"

He scoffed, "Like I would take you away from the man that loved and protected you after what your father did. I respect him too much for that."

Raye punched Jadeite in the arm, hard.

"Ouch, what was that for?" he demanded.

"For making me cry, jerk."

He smiled at her fondly, "I am glad it made you happy." He rubbed his arm where she punched him and winced. "And, I will have a bruise to remember it by.

Kunzite stated, "You two are so weird!"

Molly laughed, "And yet, he was the first one of you all with any courage. He asked Raye out before any of the rest of you said anything."

Sammy laughed, "I am surprised she didn't set him on fire."

Raye paled, "Even you have heard about that?" Sammy just nodded.

Sapphire asked, "What is the story on that one?"

Serena asked, "A boy forgot the fact that no means no. When he went in to grope her, she grabbed the candle on the table and almost lit his sleeve on fire. It worked and got him to stop."

"What the fucking hell?!" Jadeite stormed. "THAT is why you did it. Who was it? I will kick his fucking ass." He stood up and looked at Mina. "Tell me."

She said, "Tommy. The one in your third hour class."

Raye stood up in shock, "Why would you tell him?! He isn't kidding." She grabbed Jadeite's sleeve.

Mina shrugged and said, "Jadeite's right. I am all for him kicking his ass. I hate that I listened to you before and didn't do anything."

Jadeite looked Mina in the eye and said, "Thank you." He pulled his sleeve out of Raye's grip and started to storm off.

Serena yelled at him, "Stop! Stop, right now." Raye smiled. Serena continued, "You can't march off and punch him. You will get caught. Take some time and plan something out first."

Raye's smile faded, "You want him to attack him?"

Serena looked around and said, "Raise your hand if you want Jadeite to punch him in the face...but, be careful to not get caught."

Everyone raised their hands. Sapphire said, "I am willing to help you with your get away."

Jadeite smiled, "Thank you. I would love your help."

Raye scowled, "You aren't helping."

"I think you should know by now that we protect our own." Darien stated.

"You too?" she marveled.

He nodded, "Everyone of us, too."

Jadeite sat down on the couch and pulled Raye down too. "Serena's right. I need a plan first. I will take care of him later."

Raye sighed, "You are such a caveman."

Serena smirked, and leaned against Darien. "Isn't it sexy when the guy is a bit of one though?"

Sammy just snorted and lamented, "You think everything Darien does is sexy."

"That's because it is." she replied to him.

Jadeite pulled out his cellphone. Raye asked him what he was doing. He said that he was looking up Tommy's address. He told her that next would be the planning session. Raye ripped the phone out of his hand and said, "We just saw a beautiful wedding. Let's at least do this some other day!" She then tossed the phone, and Darien caught it. Jadeite dove to grab the phone back and Serena darted out of her chair. Jadeite thought it was to prevent herself from being caught in the middle. As he tried to locate where Darien had put the phone, everyone stared at Serena in shock. He turned and noticed she was holding the phone.

Andrew asked, "How did you just do that?!"

Serena smiled and made a show of holding out the phone, and then suddenly it was in Darien's hand. Jadeite dove for it, and it was suddenly gone again. Serena was laughing and holding it up.

"We can do a little more than just talk to each other telepathically now." Darien announced.

Serena laughed and added, "And, we can do this all day. Jadeite, just spend some time with Raye today. We will figure out what to do with Tommy later."

Jadeite scowled but nodded and sat down. Serena tossed him his phone, and he put it back in his pocket.

Nephrite asked, "So, are we going to talk about the fact that they can send physical items back and forth? That's strange, right?"

"That's strange even in our lives, and that is saying a lot." Zoisite announced. "Amy and I realized we can talk to each other telepathically too. We will have to try and figure out if we can send objects back and forth."

Kunzite's head shot up, "Wait, you can talk to each other too? Why are we just finding out about this now?"

"Because I liked that it was a secret between Amy and me. That, and Darien didn't even tell us what it did for our sex life. I didn't need to hear Jadeite talk about his sex life any more than he already did." Zoisite told them all.

Shortly after that, everyone went home and Sammy went to go hang out with Ryan.

Serena chuckled, "So, everyone is leaving to have sex. It's weird knowing that."

Darien pulled her close and ran his hands down her body. "Don't worry. You won't be thinking about that soon."

She smiled up at him and said, "There is a position I would like to try again."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. This time, let's leave my wrists untied."

Darien scooped her up off her feet and carried her quickly to bed.


	60. The Beginning Of The End

Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta on this. You had such great ideas for this chapter!

I am working on a new short story right now titled "Fidelity."

Summary: AU story about Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. King Diamond has decided that he wants Princess Serenity as his wife and is rejected. He then leads his Kingdom to attack Serenity's, the kingdom of Luna. Her mother, the Queen, sends her away for her safety. She goes to stay with the King of the neighboring kingdom and his two sons, Endymion and Arcas.

Please check it out.

There is one more chapter left after this one, it's the Epilogue. I hope you enjoyed my story. Thank you all for reading it!

Chapter 60 - The Beginning Of The End

The next morning, Serena woke up to her brother's yelling. Sammy had marched into their room without knocking and announced, "Ryan has been kidnapped by Beryl! We have to save him!" He noticed his sister wrapped up in Darien's arms waking up. He blushed when he also noticed that she was holding the covers up to her chin. He immediately exited the room yelling, "I will wait in the living room!"

Serena and Darien dressed very quickly and joined Sammy in the living room. "Beryl kidnapped Ryan? How do you know?" Serena asked, worried.

Sammy sighed, "I was in the bathroom when she took him. I thought it would help him more if I didn't get caught too and came to let you know. She did something to get him to go willingly. I think he is under the influence of the dark energy she uses."

Darien held Serena tightly, he knew she wouldn't take it well. He then put out a group text message for everyone to meet at the penthouse immediately.

He was pleased with how quickly everyone responded and started arriving. Once everyone was there, he alerted them to the problem. As he was telling them about Ryan, a red light blinded them and suddenly Ryan was standing in the middle of the living room.

He smirked and strode towards Serena, "So, you are Sailor Moon? Fascinating. It will be fun to kill you." He quickly blasted dark energy at her, and she was knocked back.

Immediately, everyone began transforming into their superhero forms. Serena became Eternal Sailor Moon and stood facing Ryan. "You don't want to do this. You are Sammy's friend. Please stop."

"Oh, no, I absolutely want to do this. I serve Queen Beryl." He then tried to blast Sailor Moon with dark energy again, and Tuxedo Mask got her out of the way. Ryan said, "You really are a sissy aren't you?"

Darien transformed into Endymion and drew out his sword to point it at Ryan. "I will protect her. Even at the cost of your life."

Ryan laughed, "Queen Beryl asked me where Sailor Moon lived. I, of course, had just figured out that she was Serena. I was more than happy to tell her. Now, I will be able to deliver Endymion to her. She will be so pleased." He stepped to the side, and Beryl appeared next to him.

Beryl smiled at Endymion and reached out her hand, "Endymion, my love, come to me, and we will rule Earth together. Serenity isn't here, and even if she was, she never compared to me. I am the love of your life."

Sailor Moon just laughed, "You are just a witch that wanted power. You don't know what true love is." She then transformed into Serenity. "I have been here all along." She reached out and held Darien's hand. "We found each other in two lifetimes. He doesn't belong to you. He's mine, bitch."

Beryl screamed and launched a blast at Serenity in anger. It raced at her, and at the last minute, Sammy stepped in front of his sister, putting up a shield to protect her. He glanced sideways at Darien and said, "You aren't her only shield it seems."

Serena was smiling, and it faded as she saw Ryan launch an attack at Sammy's unprotected side. Amy launched a mist attack and managed to stop Ryan's attack.

Much to everyone's horror though, when the mist cleared, Beryl had managed to get Serena by the throat and was choking the life out of her.

Beryl shouted, "He will be mine! Do you hear me? I loved him before you ever came along. I wanted for him, and he never saw me. You are always in the way!" She squeezed harder.

Everyone was afraid to launch an attack. They didn't want to accidently hit Serena. Ryan was working very hard to launch his own attacks to keep everyone from reaching her. Beryl shook her.

Darien was wrecked. He couldn't save Serena. He was watching her die, and he could do nothing. Ryan was drawing on the full power of Metalia. He was incredibly strong and had knocked out Mina, Kunzite, and Nephrite.

Amy shouted, "Destroy her necklace! That is where her power is coming from!"

Darien felt a peace settle over him and he heard: Give me your sword. He relaxed a bit when he realized that Serena was calm about what was happening.

He saw Serena reach behind her back, and he sent the sword into her hidden hand. He watched as she pulled the sword from behind her back and struck out at Beryl's necklace.

Beryl screamed in agony as the necklace shattered. She looked at Endymion and said, "I love you." She then quickly aged and turned to dust.

Ryan scowled, "You all will still die!" He then transported them all to the Dark Kingdom at D Point in the North Pole.

Serena collapsed on the floor coughing. She was gasping for air and her throat was killing her. Darien rushed to her side and picked her up.

He said, "Buns, that was brilliant."

She gave him a weak smile, "See, you are always protecting me. Thank you for the sword."

He kissed her throat and healed it with his Golden Crystal. "I will always protect you."

"Thank you. I feel much better now. That really hurt." she smiled up at him.

All of a sudden, Metalia loomed up in front of them all and cackled. She said, "I still have the power to defeat you. All I have to do is kill Serenity and take her Silver Crystal. Then I can be Queen of the Earth!"

Darien placed Serena back on her feet and stood in front of her. He yelled, "I will die first!"

"It's happened once before." Metalia announced. She launched dark energy at Darien, and he managed to pull them both out of the way at once. She yelled, "I will infect you with my dark energy, and you will bow to me and kill her. I will control you just like I control her parents!"

Serena was startled, "How would you know about my parents?!"

Metalia cackled, "When I sent Beryl and myself forward in time, I also used my dark energy to seek the new parents of Serenity and turn them against her. I don't know who they are right now, but I do know that they are cruel to you. I made sure they would be. Your mother tried to give you loving parents. Ha! I poisoned them with hatred."

Darien made the mistake of looking at Serena for her reaction and was blasted with dark energy from Ryan. Darien was quickly knocked out. He collapsed and hit the floor.

Serena screamed, and everyone launched into action. She ran to Darien, and tried to wake him up, only to find a massive head wound. He was bleeding profusely. She wept over him. She missed seeing the Sailor Scouts and Generals falling one by one. Even Sammy was collapsed on the ground when she finally looked up.

She stood on shaky legs and wept. "You are a monster. I will destroy you and save them." Ryan tried to launch an attack at Serena and she held up her Moon Wand. "Moon Healing Escalation!" She gave it everything she had. All the love and devotion poured through the wand. She felt an incredible amount of energy pour out of her. The moon above began to glow silver and she collapsed. But, not before Metalia was defeated, Ryan and her parents were released from the dark energy, and everyone else who collapsed was healed.

The room grew quiet as everyone woke up. When Darien looked at Serena, he wept. He ran to her, lifted her limp body and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you. Come back to me, please." he begged and then kissed her on the lips.

She blinked open her eyes and smiled at him. "I love you too, baka."

He laughed joyously. "I thought you were dead!"

"I think I was, but your kiss saved me."

He smiled down at her, "You saved all of us first."

Ryan stood awkwardly off to the side. Darien looked at him and smiled, "I am glad you are okay."

"I… do you all hate me now?" Ryan wondered.

Sammy laughed and said, "You were turned evil against your will. We know a lot more about that than you realize. You should come back to the penthouse with us, and we will explain it all to you."

Serena stood, dropped her transformation, and walked over to Ryan. "I am glad you are alright. Don't think we hold any of this against you." She smiled at him, and he gave a weak smile back.

Later that afternoon, they were all sitting around the living room filling Ryan in on everything about them. He was shocked that the guy he knew as Sapphire had actually been their enemy at one point. One that had tried to kill them and especially Molly. It did comfort him that his attack was in relatively short duration compared to Sapphire's.

Ryan did grow pale at one point and whispered to Sammy, "Sorry about what I said about your sister being hot."

Sammy just chuckled, "Don't worry about it. I told Darien you thought Tuxedo Mask was a sissy. We're even."

Ryan looked stricken. "He is going to want to kill me isn't he?"

"Na, he'll just want to punch you." Sammy replied.


	61. Epilogue

Epilogue

Two days after the final battle, the Tsukino's showed up at the penthouse. Serena opened the door to her weeping mother. She quickly wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into the penthouse.

Serena's father looked uncomfortable and said, "If you want us to leave, we will understand. We don't know what happened. Two days ago, we realized how awful we were to you and your brother."

Sammy appeared in the entryway smiling. "We know what happened, and we already forgive you." He found himself wrapped up in his weeping mother's arms.

Serena gave him a small smile and led them all to the living room. She then called out to Darien: My parents are here.

I am glad to hear that. He replied and came out of the office.

The next day, her parents had been filled in on Metalia and what she had done to them, their first and current lives, and they were moving into the penthouse. Sammy had given up the Junior Master Suite and had moved into one of the other rooms.

They had assured them that they wanted them there. It was one of the best decisions they could have made. Over the years, they all grew very close. Darien quickly started calling them mom and dad, and he truly meant it. They adored him, Sammy, and Serena. They made up for lost time and constantly praised them.

Early on, Darien would catch Serena crying over what Metalia had caused her to lose with her parents. She adored them, and they supported her. They were so proud the day she told them she was going to go into Political Science in University.

They were there for them at every single milestone, even the relatively small ones. When Darien graduated from Med School, Ikuko was weeping with joy. She was so proud of how hard he had worked. Kenji patted him on the back and said, "Well done, son." Even Darien teared up at that.

Serena smiled everytime Sammy smiled at their parents. He needed their approval so much, and he was becoming even more of a man under their father's influence.

Every time the guys - Darien, Sammy, and her Dad - would go to breakfast together, she would pretend not to tear up. She never fooled Darien. It mattered to him just as much to be part of a family.

There were more engagements and weddings as the months moved on. Mina had a more American style wedding, while the others were more traditional. Raye and Jadeite married first, and he moved into the shrine with her. He loved seeing her in her shrine maiden outfit. Grandpa loved having them both around. It was incredibly obvious that he was overjoyed that they both decided to live there.

The others married at the shrine too, and Darien and Serena renewed their vows so her parents could be there. It was beautiful and Serena choked up when her parents sipped the sake in the ceremony.

Years passed before Wiseman found a new puppet to come after them. That was when Serena found her remaining Senshi. They appeared and helped them all defeat him. She was glad to have even more people around her.

When Hotaru appeared, Mina started giggling. Sammy was now eighteen, and Mina was thrilled to inform Serena that Hotaru and Sammy were soulmates. Serena wondered if Sammy was mature enough to date a woman who could destroy the world if she wanted to. She hoped they wouldn't fight too much.

Serena and Darien enjoyed watching the two of them fall in love. Even her parents got in on the joy of their love story. Her mother would spy on Sammy and go running to let Serena know when he had a date with Hotaru. Ikuko loved Hotaru and looked forward to the day she would get another daughter.

Sammy, having seen how true love worked, didn't waste any time. Once she told him she loved him, he proposed to her and married her before the week was out. He had no desire to lose a minute with her. And, of course, Ryan was his best man.

All of the girls gushed over how romantic it all was.

Darien was right on all his predictions he had while laying there in bed holding Serena. Yet, he had underestimated how much fun studying for anatomy would be with Serena. He discovered that she was motivated to learn the body parts too. She reciprocated his touches. He grew incredibly hard every time he had a quiz or test.

For the first two years of Med School, Darien and Serena spent it together in America. He was accepted to Harvard, and they wanted him so badly that they procured a work Visa for Serena. He had originally worried about her not knowing English. Harvard had hired her to work in the library. That worried him too.

He should have known better. Yes, Serena had been terrible at studying English in school. But, this wasn't a class for her. She loved people, and she loved to talk so much that she became a quick study. Everyone was patient with her broken English and took time to help her. She learned English at an astonishingly quick rate. As long as she didn't have to write in English. That still gave her trouble.

At night, they would practice anatomy, in English this time. She learned the English words for body parts quickly too.

They returned to Japan for Darien to finish his Medical degree, and everyone was thrilled to have them back. They had defeated Wiseman shortly before leaving, and Japan had gone through a time of peace. Now that they were back, they could enjoy being young and married.

Sapphire and Rui eventually moved out of the penthouse once they married and found their own place. Once they did, Rubeus and Emerald came back to Earth to settle down and live near them. Everyone was glad to have them back.

Serena and Darien loved everyone around them. Their love was a shining beacon to everyone they knew and came in contact with.

When the day of the big, attempted alien invasion came, Neo-Queen Serenity defeated them. King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity were crowned King and Queen of Earth. They ruled the world through many millennia of peace.

The day of their coronation was beautiful. Kenji and Ikuko were the proudest they had ever been. Their daughter and son-in-law were being recognized for all of the hard work they had done protecting the world.

Serena and Darien stood there being crowned King and Queen as the whole world watched on their televisions. It was incredible to them that now, the whole world was at their feet. Darien and Serena had gathered moon flowers to decorate the new palace. Everything was stunning.

All of their friends were gathered around them and radiating joy. It was so nice to share the day with everyone that they loved.

At the moment they were crowned King and Queen, Serena and Darien both saw Endymion and Serenity holding hands and smiling at them. Darien bowed his head to Endymion and mouth "Thank you."


End file.
